A month ago, I wrote an article about local building trends, and I interviewed a builder in town for tips on a successful house-building experience. He said that selecting a quality draftsman was essential, and I’m sure glad we worked with a good one.
For a long time, I dragged my feet about adding onto our galley kitchen. I did not want to mess with the house’s footprint or screw up its architectural integrity. My mom had been after me for a couple years to think about making the space bigger, but I dug in my heels and, like any good historic-house snob, said no every time.
But last spring, when she brought up the topic again, a little voice inside me said, “Just listen.” She told me that even though my boys are little now, they’ll be big soon and take up more space. She told me how important it was to have a comfortable house so my kids’ friends would want to come over. She told me that my house needed to better serve my family today and in the future.
So I decided to consider it—as long as whatever we added to the kitchen wasn’t an eyesore from the road. When we met with our drafter, I said we wanted to add on but only if he could figure out a way to make the kitchen bigger while making the addition sympathetic to the house. Well, he made it happen, and when I saw the foundation walls this week, I was sure excited that the new kitchen wall was barely visible from the front yard.
The foundation wall is visible on the right of the chimney, between the house and the garage.
Once the framing is in, you’ll be able to see how the drafter also planned for the new gable’s pitch to match the other angles on our house—such a smart way to make the addition seem like it “fits.” I’m glad I listened to Mom and that we found a drafter who was open to our requests and worked hard to meet them. •
Boulevard West 