Photos courtesy of Johnston Architects
How to think about remodeling Consider it a creative (and practical) exercise R AY A ND M A RY J O HN S TO N
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uilding a new house is exciting. The journey starts with a fresh landscape that has views, vegetation, rock outcroppings and topography. That is hardly a blank canvas, but one that is able to accommodate any number of dreams and desires.
In contrast, a remodel might seem like a compromise, inhibiting imagination and narrowing options. Remodeling an existing structure does narrow options, but that is
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not necessarily a bad thing. The constraints of existing conditions can foster creativity and impose discipline. Every building has a story that can be continued and edited. The original story of a house may have been fine at the beginning, but time brings change: a family grows, a family becomes smaller, accessibility needs change, and even landscapes change. As with living organisms, buildings can change too. With thoughtful design, they can improve with time. Buildings can learn new roles to fit new purposes and circumstances. An added benefit of remodeling what you have is that it is sustainable. The idea that it is better to repair something rather than throw
it away, is a very Methow value. Here in the Methow we have seen changes that alter our relationships to our houses and workspaces. The pandemic made remote work a necessity for many, and then an option that was appealing. But more time home meant more time to notice inadequacies of home. Closets were too small, privacy was hard to come by, the best views and exposures were not available because the windows were in the wrong place and not the right size. The solution: a remodel!
Study the original Before deconstructing and re-constructing a building, it’s important
to understand the logic (or lack of logic) that went into the original design. Is that kitchen so small because the original owners didn’t like to cook, or was the budget too tight to have a spacious kitchen? Is the house turned away from the view because of too much sun exposure, or is the house from a different era when views were not a main concern? Does the house sit uncomfortably on its site because a stock plan was used that never accounted for topography or landscape features? From that analysis it’s possible to imagine how things could work differently. What if that wall could be opened up to the view that had been denied by the original design? What
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