Monkey Puzzle House

The design was led by essential principles that guided decision making. The first was function over form: evaluating each choice though the lens of daily use for durability acoustic considerations, and long-term comfort. The second was preservation with purpose: integrating historical elements in balance with clever space-saving, high-efficiency, and human-centered updates. The third was future-forward sustainability: including environmentally friendly materials and modern technologies and systems to take the home into the future.

The living room, dining room, and kitchen flow seamlessly together while still feeling discrete and purposeful. Custom casework shelving in white oak anchors the living room in a striking, modern silhouette with peek-a-boo windows. The library shelving replaces an old and unused fireplace as the room’s focal point and adds much-desired storage.

Lighting on each shelf provides soft, diffuse light to the space while highlighting the homeowners’ substantial collection of books and art. In the front window, a new reading bench takes full advantage of views to the front yard’s monkey puzzle trees.

Strategically removing the ceiling coffers added height and brightness to the space and contributes to the room’s more modern feel. In contrast, the addition of a cased opening to the dining room matching the home’s original trim returns a sense of history, as if it has always been there.

A dining room that accommodates 10 guests is highlighted by a custom colorful glass globe lighting feature. The homeowners played a signifiant role in developing this work of art, working directly with the lighting designer to carefully select each color, and even participating in the glass bowing process.

Wallpaper lining the dining room’s built-in shelving and storage (the same as what lines the living room’s reading bench wall) adds a complementary traditional element in an organic nature print.

Beyond the dining room lies the kitchen, separated by two pocket doors. Connected yet divided, light pours in when the doors are open but, when closed, they prevent sound, smell, and mess creep from the kitchen.

An addition onto the rear of the home, the kitchen leans into a more modern aesthetic in a marked differentiation from the home’s original traditional style. Here, the homeowners’ desire for storage can be clearly seen. Upper and lower cabinets keep any potential clutter behind closed doors.

Even the kitchen’s central peninsula houses drawers so everything can have its place. Next to the sink, a vertical nook keeps cutting boards close at hand and neatly stored.

The refrigerator is paneled in the same white oak as the cabinets, keeping the look uniform in long, sleek, unbroken lines. Function drove the layout: cabinets with recessed doors to prevent head strikes, durable countertops resistant to heat and staining, and integrated lighting that avoids glare and visual clutter.

A corner window and a central skylight are the kitchen’s primary sources of lighting during the day. Their combination keeps the kitchen feeling bright and airy, while parallel lighting at each location keeps functionality in focus.

Adjacent to the kitchen, a new mudroom and laundry zone provide a practical transition from garage to home, offering space to drop bags, shoes, and coats while keeping mess contained.

A comprehensive energy strategy underpins the entire project. Insulation and air-sealing improvements bring the home closer to Passive House standards, while preserving historic windows through layered, high-performance assemblies. The house is fully electrified, with gas systems phased out in favor of heat-pump HVAC, heat-pump water heating, and induction cooking.

Back in the foyer, the blend of old and new shines. The front door, flanking windows, and foyer baseboards are all original to the home, as is the stair newel post. New-to-match risers and treads contrasted with stair's iron balusters, which were custom designed by the homeowners, shaped in a fractal which is of deep personal significance.

Once closed off by a wall, stairs to the refinished basement now offer a single, uninterrupted point of circulation through the home. Salvaged door handles original to the home help to create the delightful contrast between old and new.

Throughout, the homeowners desired creative and calm spaces that prioritized natural light, views to the mature landscape, and carefully considered lighting to support a joyful and restful home.

A key consideration for these homeowners was lighting. They did not want to incorporate recessed can light fixtures, so our challenge became designing unique and creative lighting solutions using LED lighting and curated surface-mount fixtures. The selections blend into the vintage qualities of the home while still reflecting the homeowners’ personalities and providing adequate lighting for comfort.

On the second, floor a cheery office space is ornamented in bright yellow. A window seat with custom-designed cushions offers views of the monkey puzzle trees for a cozy respite that feels surrounded by nature. The cushions’ upholstery, featuring Japanese macaques and persimmons, was selected by our team for its play on the monkey puzzle trees and for it’s symbolism of god luck and longevity.

Two existing bedrooms were combined to create a gracious primary suite, complete with an en suite bath and separate walk-in closet sized for two. In keeping with the rest of the home, the primary bathroom is characterized by its light and airy design, with two windows to maximize natural light. Glass doors to a double shower area ensure light can permeate the whole space. The tub, original to the home, is finished in a statement cobalt blue, which stands out against the encircling porcelain tile.

A guest bathroom and an office bathroom on the first floor add functionality to the home in their own unique styles that follow the style language of the home’s other updates. The first floor bathroom was relocated from its original position near the kitchen to a nearer the stair. A key spatial improvement, is now located where an old back-of-house, servant's staircase once stood, evidenced by the long window inside the shower. This move restores dignity to both spaces for improves privacy and flow.

The basement is all about recreation, with a gym and yoga space, room for a 3D printer, and a well-appointed craft room, along with storage and utility space. In the newly finished attic, additional sleeping quarters and a lounge put every corner of the house to use.

More than a renovation, this project creates a home calibrated to how its occupants live, now and in the future. The house feels intuitive, resilient, and deeply personal: a place where original craftsmanship and contemporary performance coexist. The result is a home that feels both grounded and optimistic: familiar in spirit yet boldly reimagined for the present day and for generations to come.