Birch Point Guest Cottage

Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire

 Originally built in the height of 60’s fashion, the interior of this Lake Sunapee Gem was clad in dark wood paneling with low, flat ceilings. Looking to elevate the experience of their guests, the homeowners and I, with the help of architect Patricia Sherman, looked to enhance the space by taking the interior finishes down to the studs. We started by removing the dated surfaces, vaulting the ceiling of the great room and refinishing their remarkable wide plank floors that were original to the home. No renovation is without its surprises and this home was no exception. While removing the dated brick veneer of the fireplace, the craftsmen at paddock construction uncovered “Gil”, a hidden etching dawn by the original mason, in the shape of a fish. The words “From Winnisquam” helped reveal the identity of the original craftsmen and yielded many stories from local long-time subcontractors. Determining that Gil had been hidden away for far too long, we shifted the original design in order to lay the fieldstone around the etching with the intention to keep the whimsical history of the home alive.

What the project lacked in square footage, it gained in complexity of design and building infrastructure, this substantial renovation took the better part of two years from concept to completion.

At the conclusion of the project, almost no part of the approximately 1200 square foot structure was left unaltered, but what had been accomplished was a picture perfect restoration of a piece of Lake Sunapee History and a Guest home worthy of an extended stay.