The Brubaker Residence

Objectives:

Remodel the entire two-story house, which was maxed out for the allowable area. Replace the doors and windows, open up the small and dark rooms, and raise the ceiling heights where possible. Design a family room with a walk-behind bar and a fireplace that opens out into a covered terrace. Design his and her closets and bathrooms out of the available area, and install new paneling in the library. Address the homeowner’s difficulty with climbing stairs.

The Brubaker Home

Outcome:

Despite the house being maxed out at the allowable area, there was an existing two-story family room, which counts as one area per floor. The first-floor family room was gutted and redesigned to include a walk-behind bar and a new fireplace. The second-floor family room area was reborn as a ‘her’ bathroom and closet, with the glass-faced wardrobe closets and center island serving as the entry to the bath. The ‘his’ bathroom was updated while still preserving the beautiful antique tile wall, and the his closet was expanded into an existing attic space. The home’s first floor was entirely reconfigured, resulting in a new entry, foyer with a powder room, kitchen, dining room, breakfast room, maid’s quarters, and library with new paneling. The ceilings were raised by capturing the attic space above, and an elevator was installed to allow for easy access to both floors.