the lookout
Designed to emulate the efficiency of a ship, this refurbished attic converts previously unused space into the perfect perch for playdates, movie nights, and stargazing.
Project description
The Lookout transforms a previously dark and cold attic space in our very own home into a playful den, secluded guest room, and peaceful refuge for our children (and us adults, too). The project was an exercise in maximizing every last inch of available space to accommodate our growing family by multiplying opportunities for storage and leisure time.
By gutting and reframing this small third-floor attic, we gained enough area and headroom to turn it into a well-insulated, full-height den, without modifying the existing roofline. Two new operable, south-facing roof windows suffuse the space with sunlight and enable passive ventilation in the warmer months. The introduction of a new return air vent, which circulates air between the top floor and the furnace in the basement, was critical to creating a comfortable thermal experience across seasons. This small but ultimately mighty intervention entailed significant forethought, requiring us to address complex conditions in a century-old house and take proactive steps to plan and prepare for this renovation years in advance of actually executing it. Effectively, we phased HVAC updates over the course of eight years as we incrementally renovated portions of the house in anticipation of ventilating the attic.
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We used a minimalist palette and natural materials, such as wool for the furnishings and birch plywood for the built-ins, flooring, staircase, and wainscotting, to keep the small space neutral and uncluttered, with an emphasis on the existing gabled symmetry. The design takes advantage of every opportunity to create and camouflage storage, whether it’s drawers under the daybed, touch-latch closets on its flanks, or the stair guard doubling as a unit for housing AV, puzzles, and games.
The Lookout is not only designed with the streamlined organization characteristic of boats, but also features other naval-inspired elements: a custom-designed “ship ladder” (steep staircase) with a powder-coated steel handrail and a porthole framed by a Corian window jamb. The latter provides a vantage point from which to watch the changing seasons and weather, contemplate the constellations, and keep an eye on the raccoons in the backyard.