This 1926 English-cottage-style house had been in our client's family for generations, largely untouched. In keeping with the conventions of the 20s, it had a cluttered floor plan and a tiny kitchen. We removed a bathroom and maid's room to enlarge the kitchen and created a breakfast area with floor-to-ceiling cabinetry that now opens to a south-facing garden, flooding the formerly dark space with light. A narrow screened porch was widened and glassed in with French doors and casement windows to create a new family room. To maximize its views on all sides, we designed a new garden and terrace around a spectacular 25-foot rhododendron hedge that was planted by the owner's parents more than 60 years ago. Photos: Emily Gilbert