Story

This intent of this Project was to update and expand the existing, outdated kitchen and breakfast nook, add a raised work area for children’s activities and bar seating, and to enlarge the existing family room to accommodate larger gatherings. The design was required to allow visual contact between each of the spaces and create efficient traffic flow and kitchen workspace. The new design must look like it belonged to the original structure. The addition design is a rectangle off the rear of the existing residence incorporating a new eating nook with a studio ceiling and the enlarged footprint of the family room. The kitchen expansion was then allowed to grow into the old eating area between the existing kitchen and family room. A large, angled island with a raised bar was designed for the space to accommodate additional work surface, under counter storage, and as a serving area for both the family room and eating nook during gatherings. Because the areas are defined and separated from each other with low elements, all new spaces area visually interconnected. The studio ceiling over the new eating area provides a sense of greater volume, and french doors were added off the side of the new eating area for access to the exterior patio from the kitchen. The family room was enlarged by keeping the existing roof trusses in place and attaching them to new trusses designed to span the entire distance of the room. This negated the need for a bearing beam in the middle of the family room ceiling, and it allowed the existing ceiling finish to remain intact. Matching brick, windows, doors, and roof pitches were employed to help the ‘addition’ look ‘original.’ "JTAI did an outstanding job of helping us articulate what we wanted out of our project before we even had it very well defined in our own minds. We ended up with a space that totally suits our family's needs, and the greatest proof of its success was how much better our redesigned kitchen and family room worked this year for holiday entertaining." Greg and Patty W. (Homeowners)