A while ago I did one of those jobs
that gives you a chance to make a
big difference in a house's appearance.
The house in question was a garrison of
the sort common throughout the country,
with the second story overhanging
the first by about 2 feet. The owners'
specific request was for a larger dining
room. They were also unhappy with the
tight front hall — one of those where
you open the front door and fall up the
staircase — and the disorganized look of
the main facade of the house.
Several factors constrained our
options. The interior walls needed to
stay where they were, which meant the
only way to expand the