Rather than traditional enclosed rooms, the spaces are in a fluid arrangement, with each floor divided into two zones that balance openness and privacy. The ground floor, designed for entertaining as well as family life, unfolds as a series of distinct yet connected zones. Bespoke details enrich the experience: millwork seating curves around the living room, and a closet door is cut to hug a rounded step as it opens. The radiant-heated concrete floor forms a continuous base from which cast-in-place elements emerge: for example, a curved dining booth nestled in kitchen millwork, a stair landing with seating, and a monolithic fireplace hearth and media console.

On the second floor, recessed sliding doors and thickened thresholds allow a library and primary bedroom to open to one another or close for seclusion. The rebuilt third floor converts a cramped attic into additional living space, and the previously unfinished basement is now a multifunctional retreat with a spa and lounge.

Photo © Félix Michaud

Structure and Materials: Extensive structural interventions enabled a fundamental reordering of the plan and added 60 percent more functional area. These included lowering the basement slab by over 4 feet, redistributing floorplates to increase ceiling heights, and rebuilding the rear roof and all interiors. Exterior interventions, including a new dormer, balcony, and porch, strengthen the house’s connection to the outdoors while maintaining its relationship to the historic streetscape. A palette of cast-in-place concrete, walnut-toned millwork, plaster, and stone creates material continuity throughout the interiors.

Additional Information
Completion date: August 2024
Site size: .7 acres
Total construction cost: Withheld
Client/Owner: Withheld

Photos © Félix Michaud

Drawings (first, second, third-floor plans) courtesy Studio VAARO, click to enlarge