Garage Addition

Within the beautiful Gerrish Island community, these homeowners needed to modify the existing garage addition solution. The home was built with a passive solar design in 1993 and had an existing garage. Over the years, the wife was using the garage space for pottery. Simultaneously the husband began using the space for woodworking projects.

Using this space for projects created the issue of where to store the vehicles during snowy Maine winters. The owners worked with Lassel Architects, to draw up for a plan for a garage addition that would tie in nicely with the existing home.

Special Considerations for This Garage Addition

A key consideration for this project was the site plan. One area for concern was the property setbacks. Another concern was the proximity to the shoreline zone. These concerns were addressed by building a custom size structure that would fit within all of the property restrictions.

Another key consideration for this garage addition project was creating a cohesive look. To ensure the new garage addition felt like a natural extension of the home, we worked closely with the homeowner to decide how best to match the existing cedar shakes with the new ones.

Cedar shakes naturally weather over time, developing a patina that gives them their characteristic charm. During our conversations with the homeowner, we discussed several options:

Using pre-weathered shakes: These are treated to mimic the aged look of the existing shakes and can provide an instant match.
Installing fresh shakes and letting them age naturally: This option ensures long-term uniformity as all shakes will weather together, but it requires patience.
Staining or treating the new shakes: This offers more control over the color and helps them blend with the existing siding right away.

Ultimately, the decision came down to the homeowner’s preferences for aesthetics and timeline. We also considered factors like the sun exposure on the new garage and how it might affect the aging process of the cedar.

The project also included a small reconfiguration of the main living space and the installation of a new gas fireplace. You can read about the interior remodel portion of the project here.