An Addition Updates Craftsman Style Home Without Compromising its Unique Character

by Keith Goldstein
Photos by Randall J. Corcoran
Quality Remodler, March 1996

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The owners of a late 1800s Craftsman-style home in Lake Stevens saw many possibilities as they planned an addition to give their growing family more space. Michelle and Morrie Trautman knew that respecting their home's historic character would make the difference between a room addition that looked like it had been tacked on and one that merged seamlessly with the existing structure. For assistance, the Trautmans turned to Michael A. George Architect, A.I.A., P.S., of Snohomish, WA.

"The Trautmans were the kind of clients who knew what kind of new spaces they needed," notes George. The home's existing first floor had a small formal living area, but lacked an informal family room. Michelle also requested a more inviting entryway and an enlarged mudroom with more storage. "On the second level, as is common with older homes, the existing three bedrooms were quite small and shared a common bath," George points out.

The Trautmans wanted a private master bedroom suite to better suit their own needs and to free up the existing bath for the other bedrooms.

After deciding on the kinds of spaces they wanted, the next challege was to come up with a design that made the addition look like anything but an add on. "Our objective was to avoid any obvious seams with the existing structure. To do this, the addition had to overlap and not just butt-up against the existing residence," says George. "Natural lighting, exterior views, storage space and interior pedestrian circulation between the existing and new portions of the house were all important design considerations."

Roof slopes for the two-story addition were borrowed from the existing residence and the nearby detached garage/office. "The addition overlaps the original structure at the expanded laundry and dining room and at the roof above the master bedroom, which continues over, and not above, the peak of the existing roof line," George explains.

Interior finish work in the addition includes clear fir millwork, cabinetry and floors which match those found in the original house. In the new family room an arrangement of bookshelves, window seats (with storage areas below) and a masonry fireplace "were used to provide a link to the historic nature of the home," says George. Large windows that match the existing units were used in the family room to "satisfy the owners' desire for abundant natural light as well as to ensure the correct balance and proportion of wall-to-window space from the exterior and interior of the addition," he adds.

The homeowners lived in the house during the construction phase, and they credit Greenhart Construction with minimizing the impact on their everyday lives. "They were amazed how well the contractor was able to do the majority of the work without needlessly opening the connection to the existing house," says George.

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