Last year, TreHus had the privilege of completing a second-story addition to a historic colonial home in St. Paul, addressing the family’s need for more space while maintaining the home’s historic integrity. The project, Timeless Tranquility, focused on creating a primary suite above an existing one-story family room addition, ensuring that the new space would harmonize seamlessly with the existing architecture and enhance the home’s curb appeal.

The original home boasted a gambrel roof with a symmetrical shed dormer, lending it a balanced and attractive front facade. However, the previous addition of the first-floor family room had disrupted this composition, making the home feel somewhat incomplete. To restore harmony, we decided to step the roof of the new second story addition slightly back from the main house, creating a major and minor mass. This approach not only provided the necessary interior space but also preserved the scale and rhythm of the original structure.

To further enhance this composition, we designed a similar shed dormer as the original on the front of the addition, featuring a pair of double-hung windows. The dormer was carefully reduced in width to match the proportions of the new gambrel roof and was centered above the existing family room window below. This thoughtful design ensured that the addition felt like a natural extension of the home.

Inside, we organized the utility spaces within the footprint of the original child’s bedroom, preserving the original door and hallway while creating a gallery space at the entrance to the suite. This design choice maintained the home’s original layout and flow. From the gallery space, one steps up into the new bedroom, which features a vaulted ceiling reminiscent of the lofty volumes of gambrel-roofed barns, enhancing the sense of space and elegance. The primary suite includes a bedroom, bathroom, generous closet space, and a second-floor laundry, perfectly meeting the family’s needs. The new addition blends beautifully with the historic neighborhood, making it seem as though it has always been a part of the home.

At TreHus, we are committed to creating spaces that seamlessly blend with their surroundings. This project is a testament to our dedication to thoughtful, innovative, and harmonious design.

To get a better sense of how this space flows together, watch this reel on our Instagram!