We had a very general charge to Matt (AHW designer): add a screen porch, somehow end up with a viable third/guest bedroom or guest suite, if possible add a master bath, and do this all while maintaining the historic look and feel of the house.

While the sitting of the screen porch was pretty straightforward, to continue the exterior line of the sunroom meant we would need to obtain a zoning variance. Matt's design not only minimized the amount of encroachment but actually added space to the porch by making the north wall of the porch extend out in a three-sided design. The lines of those three "panels" continue up to the second story turret and really tie the porch and second story together. Matt also did a great job prepping us for the City of Madison zoning committee meeting. When three of the five cases that preceded ours were rejected, we became a bit anxious but AHW had done a great job of providing detailed drawings, plenty of photos, and narrative to the Cmt so that our presentation was painless. The Cmt had few questions and the variance was approved. Porch railings, posts, beadboard ceiling, douglas fir floor, and latticework exterior base all were designed and executed to maintain the historic look and feel of the house. The double french door entrance to the porch makes the adjacent dining room feel larger and the AHW painter did an excellent job of matching the interior stain on the doors to existing interior trim.

The third bedroom solution was not so straightforward. We told Matt that he could convert third floor attic space or expand the second story. Drawings were prepared that converted attic space to a very attractive and roomy suite complete with attractive dormer and eyebrow windows, sitting/office area, closet and built-in storage and a 3/4 bath. While we were very pleased with those pros, he pointed out problems such as stairwell siting, zoning constraints, impact on exterior look and accessability by elderly guests, that combined to make the attic option undesirable. Matt's 2nd story drawings, with the five window turret and octagonal vaulted ceiling in our daughter's bedroom, an immediate hit. As noted above, the turret design blended perfectly with the new porch. The design also added a pitched roof adjacent to the turret and covered an existing flat roof dormer. That flat roof had chronic water problems and we were very pleased with Matt's idea to build over it to improve the site lines leading into the turret addition. Most importantly, with the second bedroom being moved out over the screen porch, it made it possible to expand the adjacent room that was impractical for anything but an office, into a very comfortable and attractive third/guest bedroom. So not only did we end up with a very nice third bedroom, the second bedroom is now the signature room of the house. The attention AHW paid to interior details such as the wood flooring, matching base board and picture molding, and window framing, combine to give the impression that these rooms are original 1927 construction.

To achieve our third goal of adding a 3/4 bath off the master bedroom, Matt suggested we convert a walk-in closet. This was tricky from an HVAC and plumbing perspective but somehow Matt made it work. Matt replaced part of the lost closet space by expanding an existing closet into the space created by the new pitched roof. Our new master bath is roomier than we expected and looks original with beadboard wainscoting, old fashioned tile floor, tile shower, and period toilet, sink, medicine cabinet and lighting.

Our neighbors have marveled at how the addition blends perfectly with the original house, right down to the masons matching the color and texture of the existing stucco. With the addition filling a previously open corner, the house now looks complete. We couldn't be happier.