Family Room Addition in New Hampshire
This Garrison Colonial is quite modest in its original shape, shown in the upper two left pictures in the panoramic below. The picture on the bottom left side shows the addition. We recycled the deck off the back of the house and placed it on the left side of the addition. Many times there is no reason why you can not use parts of the old structure in different areas. As you look at these pictures, you will see how the design compliments the rest of the home. This is a concern with a lot of clients who want to keep with the existing home's architecture. I feel that when someone looks at a home, the addition should not look new, but as if it were always a part of the home. For this project, the clients wanted a look they saw in a magazine, a "zero clearance" fireplace with their television next to it. It is part of my job to give my clients the look they want, while making sure the home remains safe.
In this case, the town was totally compliant with what we wanted to build because they knew that the builders would follow the instructions of the fireplace. Normally these fireplaces are placed in an exterior corner of the room, but in this case we took advantage of the exterior wall's thickness and insulation. We were still able to comply with the manufacturer's requirements.
Look at the bottom right picture of the additions' exterior. The black damp proofing is out in the open. This is not a good idea. In this case, we were taking away earth that was against the existing home's garage. This is not good because you are taking away the home's frost wall. The town requested that we replace it with earth. The solution was to replace this area as a planting bed. This idea came from my clients. The town loved the idea and we continued the project. This is why we include the town right from the beginning in any and all updates to your home. By doing this, it keeps them up to date with the project and it also cuts down on any potential delays.
Another nice feature is the use of lighting, and a vaulted ceiling that follows the lines of the fireplace bump out. You can also picture the clients placing wood cabinetry surrounding the fireplace and t.v. area, with a mantel above the fireplace and t.v. As you can see by looking at these pictures, keeping with your home's lines does not mean compromising the intimate family living areas.
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