100-Year-Old Cottage, 21st Century Remodel

More hard work was required on the first floor. Renovated over the years in a willy-nilly fashion, it held "a difficult warren of funny spaces," says Summerour, whose plan called for demolishing two interior walls to create what he calls "one huge hall." Running from the front to the back of the house, with the kitchen at the center and gathering spots at either end, this open-plan area helps circulate light and air. Glass-paned pocket doors provide a sight line from the kitchen to the TV room, while solid pocket doors close off a sitting area–turned–home office.