A couple of renovations with the same design team and the same construction team has culminated in a great new vision for a young growing family’s residence. Starting with an old peculiar farmhouse near Newport, the Architects and the talented owner/interior designer transformed an unresolved exterior and difficult plan into a stylish beachy shingle style home with a fun and funky interior.

Before this work, the house had grown prosaically over the years. Although anchored with an octagonal tower, the street view of the house struggled. The front door was hidden, and a large moldering pool addition obscured the remaining façade. Inside, family areas were strung between corridors. There were spaces cut off from each other, unusably small bedrooms, and the usual lack of storage.

In the first phase, the pool addition was removed, a mudroom entry near the garage was created, and the kitchen moved more centrally in the house. Upstairs, a master suite was created. A detached garage and small guest house were renovated. The project was landscaped to complement these changes.

However, the transformation really picked up speed with the second phase of the renovation. Outside, the tower became the focal point of the whole house, nestled by a second sweeping gable and a large wrap around porch. The addition helped create a symmetrical façade that added dignity to the house without overwhelming its original vernacular elements. The new porch created a more visible entry to the whole house and its horizontal form balanced the height of the tower.

Inside, the design for the new addition included a large new foyer connected to the front porch. A new living room enhanced with a coffered ceiling, an arched opening, and views out to the large lawn was created for entertaining.

The reconfigured mudroom forms a “friend’s entry” for the house, while featuring a lot of storage. In the existing family room, a textured ceiling was added, and the TV was installed in millwork to be hidden when not in use.

The kitchen and dining room flow together to recall the old farmhouse. Keeping the dining room close means that it is used every night. A new staircase was built to meet code and its location was moved to improve circulation in the house. The original starting newel was reinstalled to recall the old stair. The new placement also helped make a better connection to an unused playroom (more play space was added under the stair landing) and created a great seat on the landing; lots of opportunities for imaginative play!

Upstairs, the larger bedroom was devised for the two oldest boys to grow up in together. Built in beds added storage and a play area. A loft adds an exciting place for sleepovers. The smaller bedroom is reserved for the youngest and positioned next to Mom and Dad as a nursery. A large trough sink and lots of storage created an aura of fun in the kids’ central bath. The back bedroom leaves room for a guest or for future additions to the family.

The master bedroom was further refined, reconfigured to fit a king-sized bed and expanded to add a new walk-in closet. A new built in becomes the focal point. The tower interior becomes a small sitting and television area for the master suite, and the dramatic wood ceiling extends all the way up. The ceiling drama continues in the master bath with a figured wallpaper selected by the owner.

Now all the parts of the house are working and have created a delightful result for the entire family!