This young family living in west Houston’s Briargrove Park neighborhood was growing, and needed more bedroom and play space for their three children. The existing one story ranch style home was 2,008 square feet and contained three bedrooms and two and a half baths. Our architectural partners at Brickmoon Design created a fantastic second-story addition which would increase the overall size to 3,334 square feet providing four bedrooms PLUS a study, gameroom, and space for a future 5th bedroom. The new second floor also allowed us to create a fully covered rear porch for outdoor living.

The local wildlife (neighborhood watch?) was very interested in what was going on, and checked in on a daily basis!

One thing we have learned from doing second story additions that we tell all customers in advance: with our unpredictable weather you should automatically assume that the entire first floor is getting remodeled when adding a second! Fortunately for us, the only part of this home that was going to remain intact was the master suite, which was not getting covered by the addition.

When adding a second floor (or when building a new two story home) it is extremely helpful to frame using open web trusses instead of traditional 2x lumber or I-beams/joists. The webbing allows us to freely pass HVAC ducts, water pipes, drains, and electrical to whatever location is needed and not have to drill holes which weaken the framing members.

The floorplan was completely reconfigured on the first floor to create an open floorplan. The focal point of the kitchen is the large island which flows into the family room. The dining room is also open to the living space, and the dedicated study is just steps away.

Upstairs, the spaces now include two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a gameroom, and a gameroom extension intended to be a future 5th bedrooom.

Our goal in doing these second story additions is to create a home that blends seamlessly into the surrounding neighborhood. We want it to seem the home was designed that way from the beginning, and not be an obvious addition. I think we achieved that, don’t you?

If you’re looking for a Design-Build contractor in Houston to do a project like this for your family, please contact the Crafted team!

Architecture and Interior Design: KinneyMorrow Architecture

Our client wanted a compact yet livable home near downtown in this transitional Houston neighborhood consisting primary of 1920's bungalows. The original 842 square foot home was relocated to the existing site by a prior owner and contained only two bedrooms and one bathroom. The architect had a vision for a very modern styled home which still retained the charm and simplicity of the original "shotgun style" structure. A master suite addition and kitchen extension increase the square footage to 1,599.

In order to pack so many features into a small footprint, several cantilevered areas were added: three to access a side deck off the living space, and one to allow the master bed to move outward for better flow around the bedroom. The ceilings of the living/dining/kitchen areas and master suite were vaulted to the roof’s ridge and skylights were added to create the feeling of space. Natural light flows through nearly every area of the home.

One of the biggest challenges for this home was creating a space for the mechanical systems. A tankless water heater was installed on the exterior to free up attic space. In our region we cannot place the HVAC equipment or ducts under the home, nor can we mount registers in the floors. The architect designed a mechanical platform over the master closet/laundry room which have dropped ceilings. This provided a central location for all equipment and short runs for the ductwork. Adjustable Seiko spot diffusers were used to direct airflow as required, and a thermostat was integrated into an electrical “dummy panel” on one side of the kitchen cabinetry.

Minimal millwork was used; in fact there is no interior trim other than baseboards. Kerfed drywall returns were installed at the door jambs. Other modern touches include flush-paneled white oak cabinets stained a matte black, simple floodlight lamp holders for up-lighting, suspended LED task lighting, and flush-installed Bosch appliances. Switches and receptacles were integrated or concealed wherever possible. Bocci Series 22 receptacles are flush-mounted into the soapstone backsplash and are hardly noticeable.

The original home had no storage to speak of, so closets were added to the front bedroom rooms. In order to maintain an open feeling, the closet walls do not extend to the 9.5 foot ceiling height. Instead they are framed to 7 feet, and pivot hinges are utilized to allow full access the space. This also provides an area for storage or display on top of the closets.

The original home only had one bathroom, so a powder bath was added near the kitchen and the existing bath was made to service the two guest rooms at the front of the home. The powder bath has a small footprint (only 3x6) but maximizes space with a wall-hung vanity sink and storage over the toilet. The hall bath has an alcove soaking tub, freestanding vanity, and linen cabinet.

An ensuite master bath was created as part of the addition, which is separated from the bedroom by the master closet/laundry room. The master bath has a floating vanity with stone countertop and integral sinks, and is separated from the shower area by a freestanding wall which is wrapped in brushed aluminum. The oversized shower is open (no glass enclosure) and slopes to a linear trench drain with tile inlay. The toilet area is tucked away for privacy while still maintaining the bathroom’s open feel.

The bungalow’s exterior appearance was updated while still retaining the feel of the neighborhood. Original wood siding was retained, matched as needed, and painted a gloss black color. A standing-seam metal roof replaced the shingles and matching galvanized metal wraps the cantilevered extensions housing the Western door units. On the front porch, board-formed concrete columns with inset house numbers replace the original spindles and gingerbread details. A galvanized steel handrail was installed for the porch and stairs and the tongue-and-groove porch floor was stained an opaque grey.