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David and Jennifer Chapnick had two small children and a third on the way when we sat down to discuss an addition to their home. With a growing family to accommodate, the Chapnick’s wish list included small bedrooms for all the kids, a play area, an office for David and a large dining area for family gatherings. The Chapnicks also wanted the design to reflect the style, detailing and proportion of their classic 1850 New Englander. Firm believers in keeping a modest, economical home the challenge was to create for Jen and David a compact design that met all their needs and still fit within the budget of a young family.
Our solution was to enlarge the home from 1244sf with three bedrooms, two ¾ baths and a small dining area to 1844sf with four bright and airy bedrooms, 1¾ baths, an office with a view to the street and a full dining room and separate playroom both with lots of natural light and views to their spacious yard. We matched the historic trim and added dormers for light, views and classic detail. With a roomy deck on the back, we created a desirable outdoor living space for family fun outside.
“Arilda has an incredible sense for the old houses of the seacoast. We were looking for a simple addition that blended elegantly with the aesthetic and feel of our historic 1850 home. Arilda's attention to detail and intuition helped us to jointly design a space that worked with our existing home in a way that made it seem as if the addition was part of the original design, but gave us the space our growing family greatly needed.” — David Chapnick, Portsmouth, NH
Front view with completed addition above and before addition was added below.
Right side view with completed addition above and before addition was added below.
Left side view with new dormer above and before dormer was added below.
Rear view with addition and new deck.
Cori, Jessica and their three children had outgrown their starter house and wanted to build a cozy, energy-efficient, farmhouse-style home. On their wish list was a comfortable master bedroom suite, bedrooms for each of the kids, a playroom, a home office and generous living and dining space in which to enjoy large family gatherings. Since building “Green” can be pricey, we searched carefully for the best path for this young family.
Cori and Jessica had expressed an interest in using Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) for their exterior walls to create an exceptionally energy-efficient home. After touring an ICF home and meeting with the builder and a specialist, Cori, Jessica and I decided this would definitely be the best choice to meet their needs. Wanting a simpler, more economical lifestyle, this close-knit family decided they didn’t need the cost of constructing or heating a basement and attic. Selecting concrete slab construction for the first floor enabled them to have radiant heat installed — a system that circulates hot water through tubing in the floor delivering very efficient, comfortable heat and eliminating baseboard heaters. Without an attic, the roof of the main house could be constructed with simple roof trusses, a framing system that is economical to buy and install. This also enabled the ceiling of the second floor to be thickly insulated with rigid foam insulation with sheetrock pre-attached, another energy-efficient cost saver. For the layout we utilized an open-concept plan in the living, dining and kitchen areas, creating a feeling of openness with plenty of space for large gatherings. An ample garage with workbench and unheated storage above completed the package. Within 2500sf of living space we found all the room they needed in the farmhouse style they loved for their beautiful land in the woods of Chichester, New Hampshire.
“When we originally decided to add a garage to our home, we chose Arilda Design. Working with Arilda was a real pleasure! After a change in our needs, and a decision to build our dream home instead, Arilda took our ideas and through a detailed and thoughtful communication process set off to work. Our initial plans were wonderful! This process consisted of one meeting, several phone conversations, and a few minor tweaks before we were ready to build. I can’t say enough about the responsive, professional and detail oriented work Arilda was able to provide.” — Cori and Jessica Casey, Chichester, NH
Front of completed home above and under construction below
Left front corner of completed home above and under construction below
Rear view 1
Rear view 2
Right Side View
Karen and Steve loved to cook and entertain yet the kitchen in their historic, Bungalow-style home was small and divided into two rooms. Karen, also an avid gardener, maintained a large, beautiful garden in a sun-filled backyard yet there were no views from the house to this lovely retreat. With a child leaving home, the opportunity arose to create an open, attractive new space in which to enjoy daily life and entertain.
With dividing walls removed between the kitchen rooms and a bedroom, a large area for a new layout was created in the rear of the house. For this space we decided upon a new open kitchen, configured to the preferences of the cooks, which included gourmet appliances, custom cabinetry and a large counter with plenty of room for seating family and friends. A comfortable sitting area with couches and chairs completed the indoor gathering space. Adjacent to this we added a four-panel set of sliding French doors for wide open views and easy access to the inviting garden. Just outside the doors a deck was positioned with wide steps down to a spacious patio for further enjoyment of entertainment and conversation areas both inside and out.
“We have a 1914 Bungalow which we cherish but wanted to create a new kitchen/living area from the original kitchen and a small downstairs bedroom. The results were fantastic thanks to Arilda’s appreciation of the history and design of our bungalow and her creative vision and expert design. The new space takes advantage of a southern exposure and is flooded with light and warmth in the winter. It is a modern space that blends beautifully with the existing bones of the house. We live in it!” — Karen Mazzari and Steve Sanger
Stacey Brooks and Rafi Landau had an older home due for repairs with a mix of styles and eras represented on the front. They decided they’d lived with this look for long enough — it was time to do something. Our plan of action was to clean up and unify the style, steer more to the Colonial bones of the home and create a practical, handsome entrance.
The solution was multi-faceted with attention to details. We upgraded to a more formal trim package which included enclosing the eaves, adding crown moulding above the first floor windows and adding a trim board at the base of all new siding to create a clean, dignified look. New windows, all of the same style, and a simple bold entry with strong square columns brought the facade into unity.
“Arilda was the force behind transforming the facade of our home from ‘I can’t believe we bought this place to wow: this looks great.’ Now she is helping us take the next step to do the same for our interior space and the back of the house. What I love about working with Arilda is her thoughtful, practical, balanced approach to solving space problems. She attentively processed our family’s needs (including ideas for storage of sports equipment for our three boys), did meticulous measurement and inspection, then came back with multiple solutions and alternatives to make it all work in our funky old house. She is aware of costs and how to maximize a budget. She is steadfast in adhering to good design principles, but never doctrinaire or pushy. And she is a delightful human being who is a pleasure to work with. I would recommend her (and have, to equally happy clients) to anyone in need of design support for projects big or small.” — Stacey Brooks, Rye, NH
New facade above and before construction below.
With a south-facing slope and an open field, this lovely setting on Old Fields Road in South Berwick, Maine, was ideal for creating a sunny home with views to nature and wildlife. It also presented excellent options for solar power and passive solar gain. The design intent was to build as green a home as possible within a set budget in a classic New England style. A compact layout of approximately 2000sf of living space was desired with an open kitchen/dining area, a cozy living room with woodstove, three bedrooms, a desk area, two full baths and storage space. Quality and visual appeal of building materials was emphasized over quantity of living space.
We started with a Cape style home as a base to provide a traditional efficient shape. An “A” dormer and full bay window were added as classic welcoming focal points inside and out. To incorporate interesting elements and conserve on new materials, we visited local architectural salvage shops and had a great time selecting the front doors, a stone fireplace surround, a newell post, a clawfoot tub, doorknobs and several sinks. All new building and finish materials were chosen with healthy indoor air quality in mind. The home was super-insulated and featured a fresh air ventilation/heat-exchange system. Large windows and solar thermal panels were placed to take advantage of southern exposure providing passive solar gain and hot water on sunny days. An ultra-efficient boiler fed radiant heat on the first floor and slim fin radiators on the second. Bead-board cabinets, a vintage sink and wood countertops helped create an inviting old-fashioned feel in the kitchen. Openness and views between the kitchen, dining and living areas created the feel of space but did not sacrifice coziness. The result was a peaceful, warm retreat that took advantage of the lovely views in each direction.
“We are continually amazed with the many thoughtful details in this house! From the wonderful "green" features (including the solar hot water, the recycled denim insulation, and the american clay plaster walls) to the easy flow of the layout, your talent and intuition in designing living spaces is clear. You did a remarkable job incorporating salvaged materials into a beautifully designed custom home. This is more than a house, this is a home. Thank you, Arilda, for sharing your talent and expertise with us!” — Mary Gilbertson
Incorporating salvaged materials — front doors and newel post above and slate fireplace surround below.