News + Inspiration
Chapel Hill Renovation Revisited
We are getting near the end of May, which means National Preservation Month is almost over. To continue our celebration, today we revisit our historic Chapel Hill Renovation. This Dutch Colonial was originally built in the 1933 and is located in one of Chapel Hill’s historic districts.
From the street view, the home maintained much of its original character. Away from the street, a former rear service porch had been altered and enclosed. That area become the primary focus of the exterior changes. The altered porch zone was removed and a new two-story addition was added in the style of the original house, as the family wished.
As for the interior, the top priority on the list was an open floor plan for an expanded kitchen and dining, supplemented by a new laundry/mudroom at the back entry. Below is the original blog post from when this project was completed in 2016.
Dining room after the renovation.
Front elevation of the residence.
Rear elevation after the renovation.
Rear elevation before the renovation.
To learn more about Preservation Month, you can visit The National Trust for Historic Preservation. This month, they have virtual tours of important landmarks across the US. You can also visit and learn from our local society, The Preservation Society of Asheville & Buncombe County.
Original 2106 Blog:
This 1930s house in Chapel Hill had always been a perfect fit for the homeowners and their child. As the teenage years started to approach however, it was time for a housing shift.
Initially, building a new house was considered and our clients purchased a parcel of rural land to pursue that dream. Upon further reflection though, the family decided to stay put and continue to enjoy their great neighborhood – just with a major renovation to the house for “modern-life” enhancements.
The ca. 1933 Dutch Colonial house in one of Chapel Hill’s historic districts, maintained much of its original character from the street view. Away from the street, a former rear service porch had been altered and enclosed. That area become the primary focus of the exterior changes. The altered porch zone was removed and a new two-story addition was added in the style of the original house, as the family wished.
An open floor plan for an expanded kitchen and dining was desired as the primary main level change, supplemented by a new laundry/mudroom at the back entry. We also improved connectivity to the outdoors, including an expanded screened porch off of the dining area. A designated master suite was key on the upper level. The design solution for both levels united repurposed existing space with the areas of the new addition, which totalled 700 square feet.
A new projected rectilinear bay window in the kitchen allowed the placement of the cooktop on a window wall. This provided both an efficient work area and a large increase of natural light and views.
Impervious roof and hardscape areas were integrated into a thoughtful site and landscape design by Swanson Associates of Chapel Hill and fully meets the requirements of the city’s watershed protection district.
The completed renovation was the second project for the family by Samsel Architects. The first project was a contemporary mountain house in the Western North Carolina mountains.