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Adding Space While Preserving History

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Photo courtesy of Troy Theis Photography

The boxy American Foursquare was a post-Victorian style that provided roomy interiors for homes on small city lots. But what worked in 1923, when this Arts and Crafts foursquare was originally built on the shore of Lake Nokomis, didn’t work as well years later when the current homeowners bought the property.

The homeowners’ goal was to create additional living space without compromising the home’s architectural integrity and distinctive detail.

They called on local architect Joseph G. Metzler, an expert in early-century homes, and Vujovich Design Build, remodelers with a reputation for doing high-quality work at competitive rates. The goal was to create a 12-by-21 foot single story addition to house the new kitchen, back entry, and inglenook fireplace area with built-in bench seating.

One challenge was the construction of the addition’s roof without requiring the relocation of the existing second-story windows. The solution was the creation of an interior soffit, allowing the new roofline to pass through the interior space, lowering the overall height while simultaneously matching existing ceiling heights.

To match existing finishes, an acrylic mold from the original limestone foundation was cast to create the perfect veneer for the new foundation, and to match the varying cuts of local oak used in the original construction of the home, a mixture of riffed and plain sawn white oak was used throughout the interior.

The original 7-by-9 foot kitchen had real issues when it came to functional space. The new spacious, modernized kitchen features detailed custom cabinetry, subway tile, soapstone counters, push-button lighting controls, and a soft, welcoming color palette.

This successful project was the result of the newly found friendship and collaboration between the client, who had the desire to create an architecturally appropriate space; the architect, who had the vision of how the new and existing space would coexist; and Vujovich Design Build, who had the experience to make it all possible.

Vujovich Design Build, Inc.
Minneapolis and Afton • 612-338-2020
vujovich.com