Home w15/16
by Mary Beth Schwartz
A Clinton Township couple had raised their three children in a modest ranch from the 1970s. The original bathrooms and kitchen had become dated and were in need of repair. The master bedroom and bath were now too small for their liking. The Annandale, New Jersey home yearned for an open floor plan for entertaining. Outdoors, the avid gardeners always wanted to tinker in their own potting shed. The couple decided it was time to hire architect Susan M. Rochelle and builder Philip W. Rochelle to revive the ranch house and its picturesque surroundings overlooking nearby Beaver Brook Country Club.
Since 1993, Susan M. Rochelle has provided architectural services for residential clients throughout New Jersey, Bucks County, and the East Coast. Through her firm, Susan M. Rochelle A.I.A. Architect, she brings timeless designs, strong working relationships, and open communication. Her husband, Philip, has his own building company, Philip W. Rochelle Building. In business for over 30 years, his services include traditional additions, renovations, built-in furniture & millwork, and custom homes in New Jersey’s Hunterdon, Warren, Morris, and Somerset counties. Joining the design/build team of Susan and Philip on the Clinton Township project was local decorator Gail Brosnan.
The ranch revival was completed in June of 2014. It was divided into two phases over nine months. This was to space the project so that the clients could maintain occupancy. Phase one of the project encompassed the entire exterior, the potting shed, and first floor renovations. Phase two of the project included the walk-out basement level.
There were several elements to the ranch’s new exterior. According to Susan and Philip, these included new plank siding, roof, windows, deck railings, stone veneer, terrace, covered front porch, and deck. The driveway configuration was changed, as was the access to the property. New retaining walls and walkways also were added, along with bluestone patios.
Then there was the two-story potting shed. “This was a new space for planning, planting, and storage materials for the homeowners’ large and expanding perennial gardens. A new pergola connects it to the house,” says Susan. The potting shed was built into a bank. The lower portion was designed to house tools, tractors, and heavier gardening equipment. There is a garage door on this level. The upper portion is for planning and planting. A cupola on top of the potting shed allows light to come down into the shed when electricity is not being used.
Back to the ranch house, there were extensive renovations on the first floor. Susan suggested to the clients to relocate the kitchen, which was originally in the front of the home, to the rear of the home, which was occupied by a seldom-used front porch. Locating the kitchen there would allow for it to be adjacent to the family room, open to what had been a closed-off living room. This would allow for the dining room to be relocated to the front of the house, where it would flow easily onto a new porch. “The home was very segmented with small rooms. When it was completed, we had a wide open floor plan with lots of glass on the south side of the house. The south side also was a view out onto the golf course. The clients were able to take full advantage of their beautiful lot,” says Susan.
When Susan and Philip were done with the first floor, it had a new dining room, kitchen, laundry area, wet bar area, master bedroom and bathroom, guest bedroom, and hall bathroom. The family room and living room both were renovated. The new kitchen has upscale appliances, including a stove in the island with a hood that pops up when in use and disappears when not. The kitchen also has a concrete countertop on the island, custom cabinetry, glass tiled backsplash, and a box bay window over the sink. “We used mirrors to give the illusion of a larger space and also to reflect light into the space more efficiently,” says Philip. The hall bathroom has a concrete vanity top with a molded sink. The master bedroom actually was an addition to the front of the house. The new master bedroom now features two walk-in closets for the wife and husband and a coffered cherry ceiling. There is a master bathroom with an oversize custom shower with frameless glass door surround and floor. It is made of marble. A soaking tub accompanies the shower. Off of the master bedroom is a Juliet balcony that overlooks the potting shed and Beaver Brook Country Club. The first floor phase took down a lot of the bearing walls. All new electric and heating systems were installed in the home, and it was super insulated for efficiency.
Onto the second phase, the basement level, which included a new exercise room, wine cellar and tasting area, home office, and billiards room. The wine cellar grew out of a small space in the cellar. It was decided that it was best suited for wine storage. The area features a reclaimed iron gate found by the homeowners. A glass shower door was used to keep it sealed and create a nice effect.
Architect Susan M. Rochelle’s and builder Philip W. Rochelle’s contact information: Susan M. Rochelle A.I.A. Architect, 25 Rick Road, Milford, NJ 08848, 908-238-9200 email: susan@susan rochellearchitect.com,www.susanrochel learchitect.com
Mary Beth Schwartz is a freelance writer who frequently contributes to regional publications.