PROJECT NAME:  Boston Street Residence

PROJECT TYPE:  Renovation and Addition

PROJECT CONTEXT:  We purchased an 1844 Federal on foreclosure in the Guilford town center.  Both the historic portion of the home, as well as a 1970s kitchen addition, needed to be refurbished.  Over the years, the house had been modified by various owners, leaving little original interior detailing and making it ideal for a transformation. 

PROJECT LOCATION:  Guilford, CT

PROJECT COMPLETION:  Spring 2007

CLIENT:  When we first settled into our home, we were a young couple with a dog and lots of free time.  As our family began growing, and our office space was completed (See CKA Office) we focused our efforts on modifications to the house. 

DESIGN SOLUTION:  Work on the house was to be respectful of its historic heritage, but represent modern technology and a new design aesthetic.  Our interests in sustainability and experimentation with materials mingled with our ideas for the reuse of historic home and resolved into a coherent plan with durable finishes.  Like most historic homes, ours was short on storage.  To address this, the first floor program included changes to the layout of the mudroom entry and kitchen to make better use of space and create additional storage.  A modest increase in square footage was required to better layout the two children’s bedrooms and a master suite on the second floor.  We added a screen porch off the west side of the kitchen to expand the summer living space.  The porch allowed the opportunity to introduce details and materials from the office behind with a metal roof, douglas fir rafter tails and aluminum screen panels.

MATERIALS: On the exterior, materials were used to distinguish between new and old.  In the historic portion we retained the painted cedar clapboard and the rear addition we transitioned to stained white cedar shingles which will weather naturally.  The original windows and storms were refurbished and reinstalled in the historic portion of the home, while new windows in the rear addition are black insulated aluminum clad.  Reinterpretation of exterior materials on the main house and outbuildings define the sequence of the building and additions while maintaining a cohesive whole. The house is insulated with icynene, an effective material for existing construction which helped to have our historic home test 30% better than Energy Star standards for air leakage.  Interior materials such as douglas fir flooring, ceramic tile, stainless steel, stone, and cork combine to give the house a warm, yet modern feel.  Samples of original interior millwork were reproduced and used throughout the living spaces in the old house.  The 70’s addition was updated with a clean selection of finish materials and detail, which compliment the historic complexity.