Addition and Renovation to a Residence in Westfield

We have recently begun working with a family in Westfield, NJ in the addition and renovation of their home. They closed on the sale in late June and are just settling into their new surroundings with their two children.

With plans to begin construction in spring 2012, we have already made several site visits to acquire information about the existing interior and exterior conditions. The 2 ½ story home currently holds five bedrooms, 2 full and 2 half baths, as well as a living room, dining room, and eat-in kitchen. Some of the architectural features include a beautiful sunroom, a three story wooden staircase in the foyer, as well as wainscoting and built-in cabinetry.

The family intends to expand a previous addition to the rear of their residence in order to transform the existing kitchen into a multipurpose space. This space will need to accommodate a redesigned kitchen, breakfast area, mud room, and family room. The area which sits above this expansion will be home to the new master suite fitted with a bathroom and walk in closet.

Some of the main issues that the family has asked us to address in our design include improving the flow through the house, as well as creating a more efficient alternative to the existing L shaped kitchen. The redesign of the kitchen and addition of a family room adjacent to the space will help to create a layout much more conducive to informal gatherings around the kitchen, a stipulation eagerly expressed by the client.

With strict zoning ordinances the project presents several challenges to the design team. Various calculations were done in order to maximize the owner’s wishes with the limited area available for the addition. Taking into consideration regulations on floor area ratio and building coverage we were able to create several massing schemes with which we can begin the next phase of design.