Painter Hill Road Residence, Roxbury, CT

Great location, fabulous views, outdated 70's colonial, limited budget.

The original house was so poorly organized that the only way to enter was either through the basement garage or up a full flight of steps to the rear deck. To address the problem a new driveway leads to a parking court at the front door. An overhang visually connects the house to a new three-car garage that displays the owner’s collection of vintage cars behind glass doors. The "catwalk" along the east side of the house offers access to a large rear deck that will someday have on it a spectacular screen porch.

Mindful that the house have that "Connecticut look" it is unabashedly painted white. But to give the house attitude the original double-hung windows with the fake muntins are replaced with simple casement windows. A metal roof replaces the original asphalt shingles.

The layout of the main floor takes its cues from a city loft. By adding steel in a few strategic locations the small, poorly proportioned rooms become expansive. A floating open stair replaces the original narrow one and now seamlessly connects all three floors into a functional whole. Translucent glass panels, slate, maple, bright yellow barn doors and cedar combine to create a distinctive home that has an urban flair in rural Litchfield County.