Before and After | Terrace Street View
Before - existing home before front and side yard improvements by the existing owners. Shows the existing side mudroom entry.
After - view showing landscape improvements and side portion of the addition.
Nestled in the heart of Montpelier, a charming 1940s cottage, and its family was bursting at the seams. This cozy 24'x24' two-bedroom home on Terrace Street had a story to tell, but it needed a new chapter in modern addition design. Enter Arocordis Design, led by Stephen M. Frey architect, ready to breathe fresh life into this classic abode with inspired architectural design and planning.
The Challenge: From Snug to Spacious
Picture this: a family deeply rooted in their community, just a stone's throw from Montpelier's bustling downtown. They liked their location, but their beloved cottage was struggling to keep up with their growing needs and thriving landscape design-build business. They faced a dilemma: move away or transform their home and stay in town close to friends, schools, and other conveniences? Unfortunately, interest rates remain too high, and nearby housing options are scarce. This made a move elsewhere a difficult and expensive choice. What to do?
View from Terrace Street
The family chose transformation, and that is where we stepped in with sensitive modern addition design. Our mission? To double their living space while maintaining the home's character and the neighborhood's charm. Oh, and did we mention they wanted to boost energy efficiency, sustainability measures and use local materials too? Talk about a tall order!
Our Gameplan: Blending 1940s Charm with Modern Addition Design
We tackled this challenge head-on, focusing on four key areas:
Revamp the entry.
Expanding living spaces.
Create seamless indoor-outdoor flow.
Enhance energy efficiency, use local materials, and sustainable site design.
Using our innovative 3D design and drawing upon our years of experience, we brought the clients and our vision to life before the builder hammered a single nail. This approach excited everyone, including their kids, and ensured we were all on the same page. Later, it also helped the builders visualize the project and make better estimates. The 3D design also established the desired results visually and quality-wise that the clients wanted. Extremely helpful to help ensure the builder met their needs and our architectural design and planning intent.
Entry Makeover: A Warm Welcome
We gave the original front porch a new lease on life, transforming it into a welcoming entry for guests and clients from a confused space that also functioned as a mudroom. To add a touch of privacy and natural beauty, we encouraged the clients to expand the front yard garden of native plants, flowers, lush grasses, and eye-catching rocks and paving.
Mudroom Magic
In the innovative design, a new side mudroom became the family's everyday entrance, complete with space to shed outdoor gear. As a bonus, we expanded the basement workshop, giving their landscape design and build business room to flourish. Accessed from stairs off the driveway, the larger mudroom supplies needed space to take off shoes, hang coats and more. It helped to return the front entry to do its primary job, welcome clients and guests from the street, and relaxation.
Living Large
The pièce de résistance? A modern addition design of two stories in the rear that doubled the home's size tastefully while respecting the front older home out front along Terrace Street. Upstairs, a spacious main bedroom suite with a small, attached bath and closets, and a private office provide much-needed retreats. Downstairs, a flexible living area shape-shifts from cozy TV room to vibrant music studio to comfortable guest quarters at a moment's notice.
Rear view - Southeast
We carefully choreographed the flow between the old up-front and new to the side and the rear. This ensured every step and space feel natural and purposeful. And the result felt like one larger, easier-to-use house and an attractive place for their home-based business.
A Tale of Two Styles
To honor the cottage's heritage while embracing modernity, we set the addition back slightly from the walls of the older part. This subtle move keeps the original structure in the spotlight from the street. In the additions, we then added a dash of contemporary flair with sleek windows and rich brown vertical siding, creating a striking contrast with the classic shingles and gambrel roofline.
Rear view - Southwest
Outdoor Oasis
Who says living spaces stop at the door? We extended the home's functionality outdoors with a spacious porch and deck. Part covered, part open, it is ready for everything from rainy day relaxation to sun-soaked barbecues. The builders used locally sourced timber and tongue-and-groove planks on the porch cover. Cable railings also helped connect the outdoors and make it easy to see through to the trees. We also helped collaborate with the owner to craft a landscape that not only looks great but manages water runoff seamlessly.
The owners will continue building out and finishing the landscape and fire circle later in the fall. More to come on that! What we share today are in progress only. We can’t wait to see the results!
Overcoming Obstacles
No renovation is without its challenges. We encountered tricky foundation issues and finicky soil conditions, but we did not let that stop us. Teaming up with local engineering experts, we crafted innovative solutions to ensure the addition stands strong for generations to come.
The Grand Finale: A Home Reborn
The result? A home with a modern addition design that is twice as big but every bit as charming. The family now has room to live, work, and grow in style. From the private main bedroom retreat to the adaptable living spaces, every square foot serves a purpose.
Railing and porch detail
Despite its expansion, this revamped cottage still fits perfectly in its neighborhood with its contemporary addition. The larger front garden not only boosts curb appeal but also gives a nod to the local ecosystem and enhances the connections while acting as privacy buffer to the street.
View from covered porch area to rear corner of the property.
Fire circle gathering space - Construction in progress.
Inspiration Gained
This project taught us valuable lessons:
Respect the history of place and neighborhood scale while embracing modern design ideas, materials, and new home planning strategies.
Design with flexibility and future adaptation in mind.
Blur the lines between indoors and out.
Prioritize eco-friendly and sustainable features. Keep it local as much as possible.
Collaboration is key to success.
Want to learn more about the details of this design project, its process, and its built result? Just send us a note through our website or call us. We would happily answer your questions.
Unlock Your Home's Hidden Potential
This Montpelier addition and renovation project is not just a success story—it is a glimpse into what is possible for your home when applying similar ideas to it. Whether you own a historic gem or a newer build, Arocordis Design can help you unlock your home's true potential with inspired architectural design and planning.
We specialize in creating spaces that honor the past while catering to modern lifestyles. We know every home has a unique tale to tell, and we are here to help design and write its next exciting chapter.
This project proves that, with vision and expertise, your home can transform into a modern haven without losing its soul. Projects like this are a testament to the power of thoughtful design to shape our daily lives and to create places and spaces to make fresh memories for a lifetime to come.
Contact Us
Ready to start your home's next chapter? Reach out to Arocordis Design today. Let us embark together on an exciting journey to reimagine your living space, creating a home that is not just a place to live, but a place to thrive for years to come. Click on the below button to connect.
Collaborators
DeWolfe Engineering PLLC, Montpelier, VT
BL Builders, Montpelier, VT | budgeting, planning, building and project management.
Lauren Mills Interior Design, Burlington, VT | interior design development, fixed finishes and color selection.
Barre Electric and Lighting, Berlin, VT | lighting design and layout.
Windows and Doors by Brownell, Williston, VT | doors and windows.
REI Tile | bathroom tiling.
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Arocordis Design, a custom home architect and planner, has served Vermont families since 2010. We provide licensed architectural services throughout Central Vermont, including Waterbury, Stowe, Montpelier, Calais and beyond. We also serve the Burke, St. Johnsbury, White River Junction, Tunbridge, and the Woodstock regions. We specialize in modern-inspired home design that connects to Vermont’s past while providing a creative vision for the future.