Clients in New Hampshire had a conundrum. They had purchased a parcel of land in a beloved historic neighborhood which abutted a golf course, but a smaller older home sat on site which didn’t meet their needs. They initially requested to raze the structure and start fresh with a new build that could achieve their full program in ways the current home simply could not.
Elevating the clients’ ask, a solution was recommended that would save the original residence from demolition. By repurposing it as a combination carriage house and guest house, the structure could be rethought as a valuable element of a new overall program, all while respecting history.
While the footprint, location, and brick ends of the original house were untouched, much was reimagined in the property’s transformation. A new pedestrian pathway was inserted in the center of the lower level so the house now serves as a foil for the new build just behind. As a result, the carriage house seems like a grand gatehouse from the street. Further respecting the character of the neighborhood, a motor court was placed just beyond the carriage house with doors facing in towards the property instead of out towards public view.
Adjacent to the carriage house and motor court lies a new Greek Revival farmhouse in classic New England vernacular. Thanks to the gatehouse, a true sense of history is implied even though the entire residence is new. Designed to seem as though it was a main structure added onto over time, the interiors are replete with amenities for seamless modern-day living. On the exterior outdoor living opportunities abound including thoughtful spaces for alfresco entertaining plus a swimming pool and cabana, all situated to match their context of place.
