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The existing house, built in the 1970’s, sits on a small narrow site in an Annapolis waterfront community. The site, while poorly utilized and dominated by the existing driveway, offered a mature stand of trees which provided a sense of enclosure and privacy.

The existing living space on the first floor and the bedrooms on the second and third floors were inadequate in size and character to meet the Owner’s needs and desires. The footprint of the existing house, originally built to the maximum width the site allowed, is sited towards the rear of the property which therefore favored expansion towards the front. The program for the project called for expanded Living, Dining and Kitchen areas, a new Foyer, a Master Bedroom Suite and a minimum of two Guest Bedrooms.

The front portion of the site was reorganized to eliminate a long driveway and create a parking court directly off of the street. The increased separation of the vehicular area elongates the entry sequence to the house and enhances the experience of the woodland setting of the site.

The masses of the addition were broken into two distinct pieces consisting of the two story tower and the one story porch / entry to humanize the scale of the house. The new massing creates a buffer that diminishes the perceived mass of the existing house to create a more inviting approach from the street. The additions provided an opportunity to create a new feel and character for the house derived from the sense of place and belonging a cottage in the woods generates. The exterior and interior detailing is crafted to accentuate this feel throughout the entire house.

The addition allowed the first floor living and dining areas to be expanded, reoriented and redefined to meet the criteria of the Owner’s program. The stair, while remaining in its existing location, was fully rebuilt and redetailed to provide a visual anchor for the new foyer. The second floor is dedicated to the Master Bedroom Suite and provides a study with a full bath used for overflow guests. Two guest Bedrooms are located on the third floor along with a full bath that recaptures previously under utilized space.

The unique, warm character of the project is firmly grounded in the interpretation of the site and the comforting experience of the sense of place, we call “home”.