Carriage House
Free Union, Virginia
From dogtrot carriage house to luxurious garden retreat. Through a series of thoughtful design moves, a circa-1990 outbuilding—originally two separate spaces flanking an open breezeway—is transformed into a wonderful guest house. Working with care to honor the design intent of the original structure, the design picks up and strengthens connections, views, pathways, and axes to the spectacular garden in which it is located. We extended the building’s footprint to the north and south, introduced expansive glass openings, and established a quietly neutral material palette. The ensuing cozy two-bedroom sanctuary builds a quiet, organic dialogue with its formal and beautiful English Garden setting.
The light fixture is fabricated from our sketches by local artisans. Inspired by the garden, it is made from wrought iron, hand-blown glass, and willow. It floats below a white oak ceiling in the north bedroom addition.
The upstairs bedroom benefits from a screened porch with a garden and pond view.
The south bathroom addition merges clean lines with a warm, neutral material palette. All the white oak in the project is harvested and milled locally.
Every cubic foot of volume is made useful and functional. An operable skylight transforms an otherwise compact attic shower into an open, airy space.
Glass-to-glass corners preserve views through to the garden from the library.
The new breezeway is detailed to maximize views and preserve the open nature of the house’s façade.
To create a useable interior space, the breezeway is enclosed on the west with frameless glass and minimalist steel hinged doors. To the arched opening on the east we added pocketing steel sliding doors, disappearing into the exterior walls when opened. Full-height screens pocket into the ceiling on both sides, allowing for al fresco games of ping-pong.
Project Type:Residential
Size:3,500 sf
Collaborators:
Bevan Crocker (General Contractor)
Dunbar (Structural Engineer)
Rebekah Graves (bedroom pendant light fixture)
Edward Pelton (bronze and iron metal fabrications)
Doug Lantz (cabinetry)