Does this image rekindle any memories?
When I first saw this A-Frame, it reminded me of Hansel and Gretel’s cottage. Built in 1969 as a summer cottage, Astrid and Brian bought it a few years ago and renovated it to its now functional avatar. From a summer cottage originally bereft of insulation and basic amenities, this beautiful blue home has come a long way transforming into an all-year home in a region that is infamous for its snow blizzards. The cozy 800 sq.ft A-frame, located in Sanbornton in New Hampshire, is in a wooded area a few hundred feet away from the lake.
The term A-Frame was new to me. Wikipedia defines an A-Frame as “an architectural house style featuring steeply-angled sides (roofline) that usually begin at or near the foundation line, and meet at the top in the shape of the letter A. An A-frame ceiling can be open to the top rafters. Although the triangle shape of the A-frame has been present throughout history, it surged in popularity around the world from roughly the mid-1950s through the 1970s.” In simpler terms, it is an A-shaped home with a pointed ceiling. The shape is not a constraint if the square footage of the home is large but can be severely restricting if the area is small.
Sounds fancy but, how practical and functional is it for a family of three to live in an area that faces harsh winter?
Turns out, with the hard work, dexterity, and imagination Astrid Insieme and Brian have, it can be a fairy-tale life day after day. In 800 sq.ft, the creative couple has deftly designed the space to accommodate a foyer, kitchen, bathroom, living room, child’s bedroom, loft, and an office nook. 800 sq. ft is tiny even when the surface and roof are flat. One can only imagine how the spatial limitations amplify it further with steeply angled roofs and limited natural light.
How do you accommodate storage space? (Answer: lot of built ins)
How do you make the feel spacious inside and less claustrophobic? (Answer: paint the ceilings and floors seamlessly white)
How can you make it aesthetically and functionally good?
Questions such as these, in reality, will make one think out of the box. Except that there is no box here, it is a triangle :) tour the space to see how they accomplished this feat.
My favorite part of the house is the deck makeover. The before and after pictures are an inspiration for all of us.
It is indeed a fairy tale living, isn’t it?
Image courtesy: Insieme House
