A building setback line ran directly through the front wall of the structure, which meant any attempt to rebuild from scratch triggered a full variance process. Working within that constraint demanded a different solution: preserve the existing front wall and frame, reclassify the project as a remodel, and let the constraint drive the design. That decision is what made the vaulted ceiling and second story possible.

The house itself had opinions, too. Eighty-plus years of settling had left one corner three inches higher than the rest of the structure — a slope you could feel walking across the room. Irregular framing, grandfathered stairs too steep for daily use, and a roof that came off entirely before it could go back on better: demo revealed the full scope before the rebuild could begin. The original stone fireplace, the exterior chimney, and decades of compartmentalized rooms all had to be resolved before the house could become what the family needed it to be.