Dower Farm Sunroom Addition

The new addition for Dower Farm in Peapack, NJ is well underway. This phase of the project includes a new sunroom addition and restoration of the existing conditions. The farmhouse, which dates back to the turn of the century, was originally part of the Blairsden Estate. Windigo has therefore been on site throughout the entire construction process to ensure that the spirit and beauty of the original home is kept intact.

The existing enclosed porch was, perhaps, too much a part of the outdoors: there were multiple leaks, poorly operating patio doors, and lots of cold drafts in the winter. Visually, the sunroom greatly detracted from the historic farmhouse and looked too much like an addition. The design challenge was to create an all season sunroom that melds effortlessly with the existing home.

The new sunroom addition provides the homeowners with an improved flow of space between the kitchen and exterior patio. Windows from the kitchen and dining room into the sunroom allow for better day lighting and views. The sunroom acts as an “outdoor room” which, while protected from the elements and well connected to the interior rooms of the house, is still very much a part of the outdoor patio and opens up into the landscape.

The most prominent architectural features of the sunroom are the large windows that provide sweeping views of the farm. In addition to providing plenty of natural light and passive heating in the wintertime, the windows have been intentionally designed to frame some of the beloved features of the site, such as the old walnut tree. The sunroom also features skylights, which make the room feel like it is truly a part of the outdoors and opens up the space.

Although the sunroom is updated and features larger contemporary windows, the exterior of the sunroom respects the traditional details of existing farmhouse. The room features interior and exterior pillars in between each window, which evoke the classical turn of the century columns that prominently line the front facade. The original clapboard siding and windows on the exterior of the kitchen and dining room walls reinforce the notion of stepping out into an outdoor room.

The existing crawl space was also significantly improved and updated. The original crawl space (left photo) was unusable as it was too shallow and could easily lead to water damage in the basement. The new sunroom addition incorporated the design of a more functional crawl space (right photo). The new space ensures a drier basement and allows for easier access to the electrical and mechanical utilities.

Coming Soon - see the final before and after photos of the completed project in the beginning of 2012.

Ongoing Construction at a Home in Warren, NJ

Currently undergoing construction in Warren, New Jersey, the addition to a single story residence will increase the square footage of the home by over 60%. The 2,258 square foot ranch is being expanded in order to add new spaces as well as to increase the size and efficiency of those which already exist. The original house held three bedrooms and two baths as well as a living room, dining room, and eat-in kitchen.

The new design for the residence will increase the size of the master bedroom suite, kitchen, and dining room while at the same time redistributing their placement within the house. The 1,448 square foot addition also includes a new family room and powder room located off the kitchen. A new deck will span a large portion of the rear of the home and will be accessible through both the family room and kitchen.

The expanded attic space of the residence will be transformed into a walk-up with many windows looking out onto the front . An existing covered porch on the first floor will remain but will be remodeled to create the new entrance to the home, and a stone watertable will be added to complement the stucco façade.

The most prominent feature of the design is its large hip roof with deep overhanging eaves and three dormers. This massing emphasizes a sense of shelter and strengthens the structure’s connectivity with the ground. It also helps minimize the true size of the house while at the same time enhances its former non-existent street presence. Already, with only framing in place, numerous passerby have expressed their amazement at the transformation as the home begins to take shape.

Rapid Fire Sports Center Update

We've been so busy constructing the Sports Center Renovation lately that we haven't had time to post about it!

First, see how the building grew over the last month and a half in the set of photos that follows. Then, keep reading for a detailed description of all that went on at the construction site during that time.

July 27th:

August 3rd:

August 10th:

August 23rd:

Now, for the detailed breakdown...

During July, the foundations were poured for all the walls and for the curved stair at the front entry to the Sports Center.

Meanwhile, the masons began stacking the concrete block for the walls of the North Courts.

By the first week of August, the CMU walls for the new squash courts were on their way up.

On the inside of the walls, more workers were busy laying the steel reinforcing for the concrete slab.

In the North Courts, the metal studs were put up to prepare for the installation of the squash court panels. A massive steel beam was put in to catch the load from the existing roof structure and the roofing was continued out to cover the 30" expansion.

The past few weeks had been full of lectures from the contractor about how much easier it is to draw two curved black lines on white paper than it is to form up the corresponding concrete wall. But finally, that curved concrete wall at the entry stairs was poured and looking good, complete with recesses for the step lights.

During the next seven days, the structural walls of the new courts were finished and the steel beams, columns, and roof trusses put in place.

At the north courts, the plywood substrate had gone up for the squash court panels, but you could still catch a glimpse of the spray-foam insulation behind it and up in the ceiling. It's not beautiful, but it will improve the building's energy performance and save the school money over the years. Plus, it will be hidden inside the wall in just a few days.

On the outside, the cement-board panels with their shiny aluminum trim are up and ready to be painted.

All this time, the painters have been working hard, and are right now putting the finishing touches on the gymnasium so that they can move on to the lobby and wrestling gym.

August 23rd and the new squash court addition is all sealed up and getting its finishes put on. The brick is up, soon to be followed by the wood rainscreen that will cover all that blue insulation.

On the facade of the old gym wall, studs and insulation are up in preparation for more of the cement board paneling that you saw on the North Courts.

Inside, more studs and insulation, all of which will soon be covered up by sheetrock and squash court panels, ceiling tiles and wood trim.

And on the wrestling gym roof, the solar panels are up and just waiting to start offsetting the school's electrical costs. That, and waiting for some sunnier skies...

How's that for progress?

We promise to post again next week, so check back then to see more. It's getting down to crunch time!

Sports Center Addition & Renovation Construction Update

Even in the 99 degree heat this week, the construction workers were still at it. They seemed to be moving in slow motion and kept trying to hide in the shade of the formwork, but the Sports Center Renovation was still moving forward...

The existing shingles have been removed and the roof is being prepared for new insulation, which will increase the energy efficiency of the building.. The skylights over the wrestling gym have been demolished and the roof over there is being prepare for the installation of a solar panel array.

Here you can see the footing for the new Squash Court Addition, the formwork for which you saw in our last post. Those two rows of rebar sticking up will receive the concrete for the building wall and the planter wall that wraps around the south-east corner of the building. The little yellow plastic caps on the tops of the steel are just for safety and will be removed before the concrete is poured.

The pile of steel bars at the center of this next photo is just a fraction of the six tons of steel that will go into reinforcing and structuring the new Squash Courts.

The north wall of the North American Courts has been demolished in preparation for the expansion of the new courts. In this photo you can see the scaffolding being used for the demolition and construction of this wall. The ceiling has been removed to expose the framing, which will hold a new ceiling and some bright fluorescent fixtures to illuminate the squash courts. Through the plastic sheeting, you can catch the shadows of the forest beyond.

The wall between the basketball gym and the lobby has been opened up to accommodate new windows. The design for the entrance to the Sports Center uses glass to create visual connections to the adjacent gymnasiums and enliven the lobby.

As all this construction is going on, the team at Windigo is working with the client on the interior design aspects of the project. This week, we pondered some very important decisions for the basketball gym interior renovation: white, bright white, ultra white, super white...? We also selected colors for the bleachers, mats, flooring, etc, choosing colors that reflect the school's personality and that will tie the separate spaces of the Sports Center together. We are also working on the design of the millwork and wood paneling for the lobby and new Squash Court spectator area.


Downstairs, the metal stud walls are up, defining the new exercise room, the faculty locker room, and some storage space. This room will become a space for the boys to train for sports and for general fitness.

Check back soon for more progress updates!

Sports Center Additon & Renovation - construction is underway!

And the count down begins... in just 12 weeks, this hole in the ground will be a building full of middle school boys playing squash!


June 7th marked the beginning of the construction of the Eaglebrook Sports Center Addition and Renovation. The centerpiece of the project is an addition housing two new squash courts. The renovations include a new lobby, an exercise room, expansion of two existing courts, fixing up the existing gymnasiums, and a solar panel installation.


Here is a proposed elevation of the finished building for you to imagine, and you can check out the "on the boards" section of our website if you'd like to see some more drawings.


The formwork is up for the footings for the squash court addition, and some of the foundations have already been poured. Demolition is underway throughout the spaces to be renovated.



Make sure to check back regularly to see the progress!