Addition opinions

[Indianer (WavyGlass)]

Hi - I intro'd yesterday. Looking for advice on an addition.

Here is a link to an album with photos of my house. http://s722.photobucket.com/user/Indianer1860/library/

Here is my house if you don't want to click


Here are some similar homes I've found in my research an on my drives. It looks like I could do a one or two story addition. I prefer a two story addition, that is still appropriately subordinate.


The addition would be 2 stories, not 2.5 like the main house. The roof line could therefore be subordinate in terms of height. The face of the addition would need to be set back at least 3 feet IMO.

Option 1:
Front face of addition set back about 4', but terrace even with the front of the original structure. I think the terrace will help make difference in brick color less distracting. I think my house lends itself to less ornate details in the balusters and brackets of the terrace/porch.
Example


My powerpoint rendering, LOL!


Here is my mockup of what my house would look like


ETA: Here is a less ornate example, and also the option to not have an upper level terrace (just a covered porch)




Option 2:
Don't worry about the brick color, and put a built-in porch at the end (i.e. under main roof line) where it would best suit the master. (please forgive my made up terms)

Rendering


Here is an example of this type of porch (left wing only)


Any and all opinions greatly appreciated. Please be blunt

[Indianer (WavyGlass)]

We are doing the addition because:
1. Lack of space
2. No closets, as expected, but it’s a problem for us
3. Stairs – they are a neck-breaker. My mom already fell down them. We need to add a second set of stairs.
4. Laundry in cellar is not functional for us, plus I’m pretty sure Norman Bates is down there doing taxidermy.
5. First floor master -we need the home to take us through to the nursing home.
6. Can’t see the view! The saddest thing about this house is that it overlooks a valley with the most breathtaking view, and there is literally one window that could potentially take advantage of that. One is bricked in for the staircase that was moved in 1901, one is on the staircase landing upstairs, one is in a closet upstairs, and the only good window is in the dining area, but you can’t really see out of it due to the level of disrepair.
7. Elliptical – yes, this is quite dumb, but we are in the sticks and I work a desk job

*Under the front-facing roof slope, a master suite/bathroom/closet and private porch overlooking the valley.
*Under the rear-facing roof slope, large farmhouse dining table for 10 and family room overlooking the valley. Two or three sets of french doors going out to a large screened porch, so the whole house can be opened up in spring and fall. Also on this side of the addition, the second set of stairs that will go up to a landing and enter the original house through the old window location. Under the stairs, perhaps a wet bar. I would love to leave exposed brick where the addition meets the house

Upstairs above the master, a bonus room (play room, elliptical).
Upstairs above the family/dining area - actually, I'm considering leaving vaulted ceilings but worry that this will affect the feel of the house.

[JRC]

Hi there, and welcome!

I saw your intro post, and I think Gothichome laid out how I'd build an addition pretty well:

build to compliment the general feel of the home but build in a way that in no way hides the fact that it is a recent (once agin spoken in old home age references)

Most of your examples are of houses there were probably built that way. Or, if they were added to, it was very soon after they were built. IMHO, if you're going to add on to your house, you don't want to try to "trick" someone into believing it's original.

Look at your one-story examples again. Of the 3 you posted, the upper right example looks like the one-story leg of the "L" is actually 2 stories. If I were in your shoes, that's the one I'd take inspiration from.

[Vala]

While personally I am against adding on to historic houses, for the very reason that it's a major change, I do admire your desire to make it look as authentic as possible and understand the reasons.

At least from my point of view, with how much building has changed in the past century, I feel additions take away from the character of the home. But thats just my 2 cents.

We have a back addition built in 1923 on our 1900 home, even that, despite being built with the same materials and methods as well as by the same family who built it as the original house, I feel the addition juts out like a sore thumb and doesn't belong.

No doubt I've made you curious, here's what we have in terms of an addition.

[nlswitz]

I don't have a lot of architectural advice but it seems to me you have very good reasons for doing the addition. I would not try to make it look as if we're always there, but rather complementary to what is.

[clover]

Personally, I'm not remotely against additions, just vehemently against bad ones. In my neck of the woods, there isn't a single farmhouse without an addition or a closed porch, and the majority detract from the original architecture. But the gems out there are some of my favorite houses of all. Haldeman1773 on this forum has a very old house that's clearly been added to several times and it's a look I love. I much prefer an addition that looks like an addition - though you might not know if it was added 10 or 100 years ago. Even a different exterior material can add, rather than detract.

I agree that while all your examples are gorgeous, none of them appear to be additions. I'm familiar with a few brick additions in our area, and while they were all thought out and expensive, they all detract from the original structure, almost because they tried too hard to match.

This is not how I would have done our addition from the exterior, but it is what it is. Once the roofing materials match later this summer, it should look more cohesive. We use this as our main entrance for guests. The door opens directly into our family room.


The original house. The bump-out on the right is the kitchen.


The other side. The kitchen was added as part of the addition, so we aren't sure why it was made to look like a separate addition. We plan to add a three-season room off the kitchen, and tie it in by adding railing along the roofline of both the kitchen and new room.

[CycloneOfRed]

A few years back my wife got me a book: The Vintage House: A Guide to Successful Renovations and Additions. They spend a good deal of time talking about how to do successful additions that are sympathetic to the original style of the house, yet, are easily distinguishable as an 'addition' to future inhabitants as to maintain a clear timeline of the houses history. There are lots of examples of best methods for various styles, where to place the addition, materials, National Historic Preservation guidelines etc. etc. etc.

Given what you've said, I would dare say this book is a must read before you finalize plans.

Good luck!

Kevin
(The lurker)

[Vala]

On the topic of "distinguishing addition from the original" no matter what. It will always be distinguishable. For example, the framing, the method of building, and in the case of bricks, the fact that modern bricks have holes in the middle and make use of portland cement, versus lime mortar and traditional solid bricks. I could go on, but you get my idea.

[Bungalove]

I think the number one rule-that's-not-a-rule is to keep in mind that you have to LIVE in the house. It is not a museum. All your reasons for wanting to add on are good ones. Truthfully, a ton of old houses have been enlarged and added on to, but if the additions are old enough we old house lovers take them in stride.

I agree with the above posters who are only against bad additions. I call them "alien invasions" -- additions that in no way, shape, or form even try to coordinate with the age and style of the home, and look as if they were accidentally dropped from space on to the property. We all know those when we see them, ultra modern or cheap add-ons. Both your options 1 and 2 look good to me.

Our 1911/1916 Craftsman was added on to in the late 1980s or early 1990s. In researching the history of the home, it was owned at the time by a very elderly couple and they were probably unable or unwilling to climb the stairs umpteen times a day to reach the only bathroom. Now there's an additional full bathroom on the main floor, another bedroom (the largest in the house), and a larger kitchen. While it doesn't match the style of the original home, it's fine, and we're doing our best to make it fit in cosmetically. A huge bonus is that as we ourselves age, we know we could live completely on the main floor if we ever need to, thanks to this recent addition.

[Indianer (WavyGlass)]

A few years back my wife got me a book: The Vintage House: A Guide to Successful Renovations and Additions.
(The lurker)

Kevin - I added it to my Amazon order. A book would be good for me to help me relax a bit Thank you!