Bricks on the base blend the new with the old. Detailed millwork, siding and a balustraded low-slope copper roof complement the existing structure without detracting from the vintage style of the original home. After photos by Taylor Dabney, Photographer

They came to HomeMasons of Manakin-Sabot, Va., via referral, two years after engaging another architect who, in the estimation of HomeMasons president C. Mason Hearn Jr., had created a thoughtful but uninspired replica of the existing home. The homeowners couldn't articulate what they didn't like about the approach, but they simply weren't connecting with it. Hearn, however, saw the problem: the project draft was mimicking what was already there. More than being a Georgian, the home also had influences from Federal architecture and hints of other classical styles that together, made the house unique beyond its age.

Before

"Good preservation ethic for a nice historic home like this means the addition shouldn't look like it's always been there," he says. "An addition should be of its own time architecturally, and it should be respectful. To simply replicate what's there is an injustice to the rest of the home, and it's architecturally deceptive."

One of the aspects remodeler and architect C. Mason Hearn Jr. is most proud of throughout this project is the incorporation of contemporary technology and conveniences. For example, though it's a pre-fabricated engineered gas insert, the fireplace still looks traditional, and the cabinet above houses a flat-panel television.

The sunroom's interior holds the projects' most prominent details, which lie in its white millwork: paneled columns, pilasters, baseboards, crown molding and a window apron. Reclaimed antique heart pine flooring connect with the age and authenticity of the home while trimless, hole-in-the-wall lighting gives a modern look and functionality that doesn't compete with the distinguished feel.

The 780-square-foot addition (approximately 1,560-square-feet with the crawlspace) was part of a larger whole house remodel that was completed in one year; this phase represents approximately five-and-a-half months of work.

Says Hearn: "This project is about design you feel — the heart of the project is a very general concept, and everything else we did was just detail, exquisite craftsmanship and follow-through."