Although renovated, this classic 1930s Cape Cod maintains its welcoming street appeal.
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Planning Stage
Architect Greg Wiedemann suggests that you consider these points before adding on to your house. * An addition needs to be sympathetic to the character of the original house and enhance the relationship between the house and its site. * It should take advantage of prominent views. * It should respect the feel of the neighborhood and not be overbuilt for the site. * A good addition should make the whole house better and not make the rest of it feel left behind.
You love your house, your street, and your neighborhood, but there's one problem--your house feels like it's about to burst at the seams. Sound familiar? Well, before you put it on the market, consider an addition like the one built by Weezie and Buck Blanchard of Richmond. "The house always had a special feeling, which I realized even more when we thought about selling it," says Weezie. Instead, the Blanchards hired architect Greg Wiedemann to make their special home even more so. Weezie had seen two houses in Richmond with additions that appealed to her. It turned out that Greg, based in Bethesda, Maryland, was involved in both projects. "I knew we would be on the same page design wise," says Weezie.
"We wanted to maintain the overall quality of the original one-and-a-half story Cape Cod," says Greg. "The front approach with its southern facade is very welcoming, and we wanted to respect that." The result was a rear addition with a kitchen and family room downstairs and two bedrooms and a bath upstairs. "What I love most about the addition is that the house has grown with our family without losing its coziness," says Weezie. "Guests are immediately drawn to the back. It sets the tone for the whole house and is very warm and inviting."
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