Background

When the current owners of this charming antique nestled in the center of town first saw it, it was love at first sight. Though the home suffered from years of deferred maintenance and a poorly designed “box” of an addition on the back, it was clear that this was a unique home.
The owners had worked with us before and knew North River Builders was the right company to call to help them realize their vision.

The Renovation

The project scope consisted of a complete down-to-the-studs renovation, including significant floor plan changes, replacing the existing addition with a new one that would blend in perfectly with the main house, and a further detached carriage house with an art studio & workshop. Another primary goal for the project was to update the home to a high energy efficiency achievable with current technology and building practices. In addition to adding new energy-rated windows throughout, all existing and new structures were air-sealed and insulated with high-performance materials, allowing us to install new high-efficiency, state-of-the-art heating and cooling systems. The result is a stunningly detailed 1800s antique with all the comfort and energy efficiency of a carefully designed and constructed brand-new home. This is a beautiful example of what can be done to breathe new life into an old house, and it also offers a real-world standard of how living in an antique home doesn’t necessarily have to mean wasting energy – or enduring New England’s famously cold winters and hot summers.

Attention to Detail

Copper, Slate, Granite, and hand-crafted solid wood architectural detailing are found throughout. Great care was taken to both preserve and reproduce the original interior and exterior detailing, and those original details were also carried through to the new Master Suite/Guest Suite addition. The new Carriage House was also constructed using similar methods and carefully selected materials as the main house, and the design perfectly complements the architecture of the main house while simultaneously expressing a charm and character of its own.