The Smiths wanted one large room that encompassed their kitchen as well as their
family room. “A lot of people advised us against [one large room with a kitchen and family
room],” says Dorothy. “But we wanted a big family space, one large room where everyone could be
comfortable and hang out together. And we wanted a space where people could sit
with us while we cook.”
The plan to put the Smiths’ vision in motion was to remove the existing sunroom on the back of the home. “The utility room on the back had lots of light but was not nearly large enough
to accommodate a kitchen and living space, so the first thought was to rip it
off and add the space we needed,” Pursley says. “[The room] was conceived as a garden room. I was trying to create a
light-filled, porch-like space, that happens to hold the kitchen and family
room. The house has traditional lines, but many of the Smiths’ furnishings are modern.” So Pursley scripted a story, he says, of a large rear porch that’s filled with French doors yet is furnished with modern accessories.
Having come from a previous residence that was full of color, says Dorothy, “I wanted an airy, light color palette that suited the beautiful light of the
house and its tall ceilings.” Designer Teri Thomas of Teri Thomas Interiors assisted the Smiths in choosing
modern and transitional decor, which meshes well with the home’s traditional bones and framework, as shown in the living room.
BELOW: A large early-nineteenth-century Italian chandelier, which once hung from the
trees on an Italian estate, serves as the focal point of the dining room, which
is just off the foyer.
The overall goal for the addition on the back of the Smiths’ home was to create a sociable space that included both the kitchen and family
room areas in one large room. Pursley created one large, stainless steel-top
island, which the Smiths use for family dinners, buffet dining while
entertaining, and completing the kids’ homework.
Pursley also reconfigured the existing kitchen space to accommodate a new
laundry room, butler’s pantry, and mudroom, pictured.
During the year-long renovation, which included creating a basement playroom for
the kids below the new 696-square-foot garden room, Pursley also reconfigured
the existing kitchen space to accommodate a new laundry room, butler’s pantry, and mudroom. He converted the attic space into a bedroom for the
Smiths’ oldest son, Calvert. Finishing touches included an additional bathroom on the
second floor and the reworking of several dormers to match the new addition and
provide ample light.
In the kitchen, the Smiths requested a large concrete island, which they could
utilize for kitchen prep as well as practical uses such as schoolwork. “My little one will sit and do her homework here while I’m cooking,” says Dorothy. The cabinets around the DCS range are stainless steel as are the
countertops. “We found they were the most functional in our old home,” adds Dorothy.
But the key to the kitchen’s design was to treat it like a beautiful room rather than a utilitarian space. “So often a kitchen is pragmatic to the point of misery,” says Pursley. “If it’s not a space you love being in, no work triangle in the world is going to fix
that.” To achieve this, Pursley addressed the issues of storage in ways that wouldn’t detract from the overall vision of the room. Each refrigerator has an adjacent
stainless steel pull-out pantry that allows the Smiths to access the shelving.
There’s also a walk-in pantry adjacent to the kitchen that has a desk area and
additional floor-to-ceiling storage. That room can easily be closed off with a
pocket door to eliminate additional clutter.
To add the finishing interior design touch, the Smiths worked with Teri Thomas
of Teri Thomas Interiors to achieve a modern look in a traditional home.
Dorothy admired British interior designer Kelly Hoppen’s home, a clean yet modern space with punches of color. “It has a sense of tradition but a modern inspiration,” says Dorothy. “I wanted this room clean, not fussy, and I wanted it warm and livable.”
The result is pure bliss for the family who often entertains as well as gathers
and relaxes in the new garden room addition. “I think Dorothy and Harold have taken a frumpy old box and imbued it with joy
and happiness,” says Pursley. “What once seemed foreign now fits like a well-styled glove.” 
By design, the sitting room is the antithesis of the other downstairs rooms of
the home. The space, though small, couples as a home office as well as a cozy
TV room for the family. A large dandelion pendant light provides a splash of
modernity in the otherwise traditional space.
