An English Country Attic

The attic renovation of this First Period Ipswich, Massachusetts home (c. 1668) was inspired by English vernacular cottages of the Cotswolds. The clients wanted an additional bedroom and office space in their unused attic, while maintaining the authentic first period style of the rest of the house. This meant keeping the original roofline and low ceilings, giving the space a cozy feel. Structurally, the space needed some timber frame repair, and the original timbers were left exposed with white plaster for the Medieval English interior style. Cummings Architects paid close attention to utilizing the low ceiling height at the perimeter of the space and designed built-in storage that the clients’ previously lacked. A cozy reading nook and details like the interior window above the stairway, looking into the bedroom, changed the useless, dark attic into an intimate, personal space. Photo by Eric Roth