G U E S T H O U S E
C O T T A G E | Sharon, CT

Located off a long dirt road, remote and private, was a small unremarkable house with acreage. It was the acreage, the beautiful,
pristine land surrounding the neglected little house that captivated the current owners. They purchased the property with the intention of renovating the "cottage," while the main house was being built after which, the cottage would become a guesthouse.

So, the exterior was stripped of its white clapboard siding and red asphalt roof and replaced with weathered cedar shingles. The rafters over the living room were removed completely and replaced with a steeply pitched roof creating a 15 foot high cathedral ceiling. Light replaced darkness. The roof framing was also extended over an open deck area creating a cathedral covered porch. The deck was stripped to its frame, the footprint expanded, new fur plank flooring laid and skirted with mahogany wrap-around steps. Beauty embraced beauty. Windows were replaced and fitted with raised panel shutters and iron hardware, new half round custom painted gutters and leaders were also added.
The interior was trimmed with paneling and mouldings, the two fireplaces were rebuilt, bookcases added, the staircase removed and rebuilt with wide plank oak, the bathrooms were refitted with new fixtures and stone tile. All of the mechanical systems were upgraded, Central Air was installed - in addition to an alarm system and back-up generator.
And this is how the personality of a house is developed...large or small; the details must emerge from a respectful connection to where the structure is located. For a cottage or a villa, a bath house or a garage, particular materials if properly chosen, add up to a presence not just a building. The Cottage that became a Guesthouse is now a home.