Projects
Daylighting in a renovation: a design that shines
How to take a classic Cape Cod and make it suitable for modern family living? Give it an updated layout, let the sunlight in, and make the most of every room — we'll explain the details behind this remodel.
When a New Jersey couple set out to renovate their 1950s-era Cape Cod home, they had a few ideas in mind. For their family of five, they wanted a modern, simple space that differed from the cookie-cutter homes they’d been encountering, and they wanted way more light. “The winter blues are real around here. Without sunlit spaces we all wilt like house plants in February and March, so that was our biggest concern” said homeowner Emily Billington.
“The winter blues are real around here. Without sunlit spaces, we all wilt like house plants in February and March, so that was our biggest concern”
To help freshen up their historic home, they tapped local architect Peter Goodhue. Goodhue excels at bringing historic homes up to modern standards, while still respecting the original architecture. And he would deliver on Billington’s dreams of more light through a design that focused on daylighting — the art of bringing more natural light into a home.
Embracing a modern layout
The home featured “too many hallways, rooms and doorways,” according to Billington who said it felt dark and closed off. To fix this, Goodhue focused on simplifying the layout and finding creative places to add windows. One of the first ways he did that was by turning an upstairs gable 90 degrees, so it now sits perpendicular to the living room below. With this move, there was space for the two downstairs bedrooms to move upstairs and room to create a primary suite with a cathedral ceiling.
Harvesting southern light
With fewer uses on the first floor, there was freedom to take down walls, including the one between the kitchen and dining room. Since these rooms face south, they were natural starting places for letting in light and warmth from the sun, along with backyard views. “I never want a hallway to end with a wall. You want to create vistas throughout the house,” Goodhue said.
Another big way Goodhue did this was by renovating the back porch. He added two triangular 400 Series specialty windows high in the gable to help light reach deeper into the house. Then, he connected the porch to the dining room with a 200 Series Narroline® gliding patio door. With its narrow frame and large expanse of glass, this 8-foot-tall door lets light pour into the home.
Goodhue completed the new open space with a large picture window instead of cabinetry. This choice, Billington said, helps her family enjoy the “morning sun and have a better view of our garden.”
Another big way Goodhue did this was by renovating the back porch. He added two triangular 400 Series specialty windows high in the gable to help light reach deeper into the house. Then, he connected the porch to the dining room with a 200 Series Narroline® gliding patio door. With its narrow frame and large expanse of glass, this 8-foot-tall door lets light pour into the home.
Goodhue completed the new open space with a large picture window instead of cabinetry. This choice, Billington said, helps her family enjoy the “morning sun and have a better view of our garden.”
