Several years after the Greek Re-rerival renovation, the owners turned their attention to the rear of their property. They wanted to reclaim the back yard as a garden and outdoor living area, add a garage and improve the service spaces that connected with these new amenities. The house now opens to a lovely dining terrace and garden. A new portico entry connects the exterior spaces to the breakfast area, mudroom and rear stairs.
This project was on the cover of the book In-laws, Outlaws and Granny Flats.
The carriage house and gardens are sited to take maximum advantage of the long, narrow, corner lot.
A door on the back of the carriage house provides a convenient connection with the main house and also provides an entry for the loft space above, planned to accommodate a future studio apartment.
The garage is a free stranding carriage house, appropriate for the era of the house. The structure has a dormered loft on the second level as well as a very large wood bin on one side and a potting/storage shed on the other.
Inside the main house, a wall that separated the breakfast and mudroom areas was removed and replaced with a bookcase.
Removing the wall allows the two small areas to borrow space and light from each other, making both rooms feel more spacious.
Mudroom clutter is now controlled and kept out of sight in a closet.
Beadboard in the door panels of the storage/folding table/stair rail cabinet tie in with beadboard wainscotting on the walls. Painting the beadboard the same color as the trim unifies the room.
The laundry occupies the hall area on the second floor at the top of the back stairs. The stair guardrail and chest of drawers have been replaced with a custom cabinet that provides storage, a folding table and the necessary safety. Combining these functions makes the work area more spacious, efficient and less cluttered.