New Build of the Year

A rear addition to an historic house delivers modernist vibes and seamless indoor/outdoor living

One of the things that we thought was that the new should feel new and the old should feel old,” says the owner of a 19th-century Creole center hall cottage with a striking modern addition. Working with likeminded architect Tracie Ashe of the award-winning StudioWTA architecture firm, the owner and his partner adhered to that philosophy with stunning success. The result is a house that thoughtfully combines the classic, sturdy bones of another era with a new volume that speaks to contemporary design and incorporates state-of-the-art materials. 

“Our firm has always been very interested in the contrast between old and new,” said Ashe. “We like it to read almost as an insertion. In my opinion, it’s the best way to honor historic architecture — complement and contrast, not overwhelm. Modern architecture belongs in historic cities. The new architecture becomes part of the living history of the city so you can understand the progression.”

The owner of the property, a local businessman, lived in California for 10 years, then in an historic townhouse apartment in the Central Business District with a modern glass addition he learned was designed by StudioWTA. The seamless indoor/outdoor living popular in California and the beautiful contrast of the CBD apartment’s architecture provided the broad strokes of what he and his partner wanted when they decided to add-on. Because the rooms in the original house are relatively small, they wanted larger communal spaces suited to relaxation and casual entertaining and had a rough idea of a floorplan. 

“We liked that it felt old and wanted to respect that, but we also very much wanted something new and we wanted to make sure it all worked together,” said the owner, a native of the area. “We put a lot of faith in other people’s skills to help us define that.” 

Ashe and her team analyzed the condition of the existing property and found that the original part of the cottage was in solid shape. But later additions and changes at the rear of the house didn’t relate to the integrity of the historic house and were deteriorating. The new plan called for removing the previous additions and starting fresh with what Ashe calls “spatial experiences” markedly different than those in the front of the house. 

The modern addition centers around a great room with soaring ceilings and lots of light, and a kitchen set apart by a furred down portion of ceiling. Corner sliding glass doors open between the living area and the porch, which in turn leads to three other separate outdoor living areas: a pool surrounded by white coral tiles (that stay cool to the touch despite high temperatures), a cabana with a kitchenette, bathroom and wall-mounted TV, and a covered storage building/outdoor kitchen. 

The three outdoor areas enable the homeowners to spend time outside “depending where the sun is.”  Mature greenery and ash wood cladding on both the cabana and storage building bring natural warmth to the polished environment.

“You don’t feel like you’re in the middle of a city,” said the homeowner. “It’s a tranquil oasis.”

While the transition from old to new is dramatic, it’s not jarring or abrupt. The roofline in back follows the same gabled slope as that in front; there is a straight view from the front door all the way thru the addition to the outdoors; and the living room mantel in the old cottage was remodeled with a modern aesthetic that introduces what is to come. 

Subtle treatments create an almost subliminal connection between the original house and the addition. Door frames leading to the new build are trimmed with plate steel, providing both a literal and conceptual “threshold” into the modern design scape or what Ashe calls “a marker of the transition.”  The use of steel is continued in the stair rail ascending to a loft space created by building out the existing attic. The captured space is a home office and an extra guest room with a bath, featuring a skylight and handsome slate walls. Instead of plastering over an original brick chimney, Ashe incorporated it into the modernism of the master bath and the wall behind the great room stairs.

Finishes in the new volume include white oak floors, quartzite kitchen counters and a combination of glossy white and oak veneer cabinets. Interior designer Betsey Hazard of House of Hazard Interiors, helped furnish the addition using a variety of sources including auctions, local stores, artisans and Craigslist. 

“The overarching theme is that we wanted a comfortable modern vibe while acknowledging the history of the place,” said the owner. “And I think we pulled it off.”

“At a high level, it was a pleasure to work on [this house],” said Ashe. “The owners said it lives very well and that makes me happy.”

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