---
title: Home Additions That Go Against the Grain
description: Most people want their home addition to blend with the architectural style of their house.  This remodeling project was a face off between contemporary and traditional styles.
---

[Renovation Articles ](https://www.gilday.com/design-build-dc-blog)

# [Home Additions That Go Against the Grain](https://www.gilday.com/design-build-dc-blog/room-additions-that-go-against-the-grain.html)

 Written by [Kevin Gilday](https://www.gilday.com/design-build-dc-blog/author/kevin-gilday) | January 30, 2012

Prospective clients will often say, “We want an addition that doesn’t look like an addition.” People want [**home additions**](https://www.gilday.com/home-addition-portfolio) to respect the architectural character of their house. We can do that. We’ve done that many times. Sometimes, though, a homeowner asks us to push back on the given design style of their home. What then? Do we risk a potential clash of architectural styles rather than try to talk the client out of a questionable idea? No. We accept the challenge and get creative.

 

The contemporary profile of this screened porch intentionally contradicts the not-so-fashion-forward look of the Dutch Colonial house to which it is attached.  The homeowners, though living within the four walls of a traditional Washington DC house have furnished and remodeled to suit their modernist sensibilities.

<https://www.gilday.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Lichtman-1a.jpg> Sleek vs. Stodgy. Can they learn to get along?

What makes *this* porch addition work (in our humble opinion) instead of clash? Though the lines are clean and modern, the broad white trim boards bring a recognizably traditional element into the mix. We think that helps competing visual styles to peacefully coexist. 

<https://www.gilday.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/lichtman-1.jpg> A steeply raked roofline lets in lots of sky

As it often goes, form follows function. In terms of function, the owners wanted this porch to be a natural extension of the kitchen.  When weather is nice, the wall of stacking glass panels can be completely opened.

<https://www.gilday.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/lichtman-2.jpg> A view from the kitchen catches a lot of sky

And then there is the light. Often, an addition will shade the adjacent interior, but the lofty, steeply raked ceiling provides sky views. The structure seems to just scoop daylight deep into the interior. 

To learn more about the home addition design-build process, download our eBook titled "[What Every Homeowner Needs to Know About Home Additions and Whole Home Remodeling](https://www.gilday.com/home-additions)" to get an in-depth understanding. If you are considering a home renovation, please feel free to [schedule a home renovation discovery session](https://www.gilday.com/schedule-your-home-addition-discovery-session) with Gilday today.

<https://www.gilday.com/cs/c/?cta_guid=54fa9ac1-70d6-4edd-8da6-138a31adc17c&signature=AAH58kE5R_fqCqoOp7xoMu9YE08RPjdgjA&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gilday.com%2Fdesign-build-dc-blog&portal_id=4060073&pageId=113883536804&placement_guid=759d781c-37f6-4d69-86b5-50f364f6f7ea&click=0dc65f5a-6909-4053-9503-cc71597b124c&redirect_url=APefjpEC4LqQYaLDmUutVtGPeHhN3bLkJHtMH2lLhPOrjP0pFjOlTI0UnkZBM1GHXfO4GhmT5q4okdA8FNZEdZJ04QX17jTeFVgvhSU7OTet4Wq7g3I5Z19xozOsVBoUP9TraXcorQqC0GGs_9-CJsSIRYGaDwn85d4NOJ7szY2y3x8usg5OO417h_DdZVt4BgMMlxu1lENqMxS3LKplDvxAz286EGyIisY-tpVbuSdxVzNKSQW5Ty1DAn7ThWQiPDl8LZ-BAZ_rFHqhh-YPpF_uP42k7IB1wg&hsutk=d73392bcf6ae43fb1c331072f0de6653&canon=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gilday.com%2Fdesign-build-dc-blog%2Fhome-additions-and-architectural-style-blending-new-and-old&ts=1732107481905&__hstc=126459986.d73392bcf6ae43fb1c331072f0de6653.1700656669767.1731501423500.1732106752809.174&__hssc=126459986.22.1732106752809&__hsfp=336580338&contentType=blog-post>

 

[View full post](https://www.gilday.com/design-build-dc-blog/room-additions-that-go-against-the-grain.html)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Kevin Gilday"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2024-11-20T12:58:35.572Z",
  "datePublished" : "2012-01-30T09:00:22Z",
  "headline" : "Home Additions That Go Against the Grain",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 536,
    "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/4060073/Imported_Blog_Media/Lichtman-1a.jpg",
    "width" : 800
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://www.gilday.com/design-build-dc-blog/room-additions-that-go-against-the-grain.html",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 0.0,
      "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/4060073/Gilday-Nov2017/Image/H_Logo.jpg",
      "width" : 0.0
    },
    "name" : "Renovation Articles"
  }
}
```