Portfolio Item

The Carriage House

Location:
Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA
Size:
9,250 SF
Project Type:
Historic Replication and New Construction
Architect:
Windover Construction

A story of a long forgotten structure brought back to life after years of neglect, the carriage house was first built in 1896 as part of an 11-acre summer estate. It was overlooked and abandoned for decades until its current homeowners, charmed by its Colonial Revival style, were inspired to resurrect the structure. Their vision was to completely tear down the existing structure and salvage as many materials as possible and to then rebuild the carriage house incorporating those same materials to create a historically accurate replica. Our team guided the process from design to completion, managing each and every detail along the way.

This project was featured in Coastal Home.

 

From Initial Concept to the Final Touch

Windover’s guidance began well before tearing down the existing structure. Salvageable features were identified and painstakingly removed such as trusses, beams, shutters, the cupola, brick, soapstone sink, fixtures and even an antique squash court backboard. All were sent to the workshops of various tradespeople for either refurbishment, or exact replication. Extensive cataloging of the existing structure, through photography and study of its floor plans, allowed the design for the new structure to replicate its predecessor. The 6,800 square-foot carriage house was meticulously rebuilt in its original footprint, incorporating the salvaged elements either as part of the actual structure or as architectural accents.

Today the carriage house is a space for entertaining, and also living. With white clapboard siding and great barn doors on the outside, and beautiful exposed beams and masonry on the inside, the space is inviting and timeless. The original 1,500 square-foot ballroom was brought back to life in the new design as a “great room” which the family uses for entertaining. The building also holds a tenant apartment where the squash-court countertop was incorporated to characterize the space. And, newly introduced to the space is a potting room that pays tribute to the building’s rich history as the original owner’s wife was an avid gardener.