Oatey Residence
The home needed a kitchen remodel. It soon became more than that. A remodel in the eighties had added a second floor with a gallery space to look down into the small kitchen dining area. The kitchen itself was very dark, located behind 8 feet of overhang. The front yard was sloping down towards the front door and only used to enter and exit the home. During the earlier remodel the main floor was separated from the second floor with a cavity between the floors. With structural reconfigurations we were able to capture ceiling height on the main floor, and the gallery space was closed up to allow for a home office on the second floor.
Gathering more space, I designed a 5-foot addition below the existing porch area to expand the kitchen and the entry and get these spaces out into the light. As a result of this, we were able to create a full-fledged entry way, a walk-in closet from the entry, and a dining space with French doors as part of the kitchen. In addition I designed a court yard, carving out a lowered level space with low surrounding walls from the sloping grade. The courtyard is now a favorite shaded entertainment area on hot summer days, and it makes an inviting connection to the street.
 Before |
 During construction |