Carving out additional square footage is never easy. But Chris Brown, principal at b Architecture Studio (barchstudio.com), worked with a Boston couple, who have three young children, to add valuable space to transform a colonial into a beach-cape design. “Our process [involves] a lot of listening,” says Brown, who also worked in coordination with builder Finback Contracting (finbackcontracting.com). “We started with thinking big and presented options to [focus] on what could make this project their home.” While Brown and his team worked on the family’s living room and kitchen, some of the home’s new spaces, including a mudroom, deserve a standing O too. We asked Brown to explain the strategies for making each room perfect.
MASTER BEDROOM
“We took advantage of the ceiling and dynamic roof slopes to vault the ceiling and add a fireplace. It’s a wonderful balance of interest and calm,” says Brown.
MASTER BATH
“We created a spacious corner vanity, so two people could be at the sink at the same time without bumping into each other,” says Brown. “The corner unit provides an extra foot of storage space in the corner, allowing for better use of space, plus good counter [space]. It also allowed for a larger shower and additional bathroom storage built-in.”
BATHROOM BUILT-IN STORAGE
“The homeowners wanted a calm white color palette— something more subtle and calming that played off the marble of the vanity countertops,” says Brown. “We used innovative design techniques to create extra storage and a useful layout. This storage unit played into the bathroom’s theme of creating as much storage as possible in a unique layout.”
MUDROOM
“The use of open and closed storage spaces gives options for those needs,” says Brown. “The shiplap and natural oak top are classic coastal elements and will wear well as the kids grow older.”
Photography by: Jessica Delaney
