Text by Dean Works Architecture
Dean Works Architecture was hired to design a new addition to the rear of a beautiful 1900’s-built home in the East Nashville Historic District, Tennessee, for a musician couple – Frances Cone – who had just moved to Nashville. The design sought to create a unified space for the kitchen, dining and entertaining areas and provide a seamless access to the garden and porch through oversized glass sliding doors. The unique layout is perfect for large gatherings but also intimate family time.
The addition is largely defined by a new low-sloping roof with oversized wood beams spanning the space. The ceiling is punctuated by large north-facing skylights which fills the home with diffuse natural light (the clients rarely turn on the lights!).
The white wood slats at the exterior distinguish the new addition from the existing home and help blur boundaries between the indoors and the outdoors. These slats were detailed and proportioned to harmonize with the original home’s wood trim. We felt this helped the new addition merge with the old but remain uniquely different and contemporary.
The interiors of the project were meant to convey warmth and modern sophistication. We found flooring at a great local company that specialised in reclaimed floors. We used this as a starting point and built the material palette around it.
The cabinets were custom made and the handmade tile backsplash helped reinforce the natural aesthetics. The client’s collection of mid century light fixtures brought pops of colors and fun shapes into the mix, completing the overall feeling of the space.
Photos by Joseph Bradshaw
