A breakthrough

View into the kitchen from our new family room with a small powder room framed in on the left.

Between receiving the news that This Old House was interested in our project, jumping through hoops for our special permit, adapting to the rapid pace of construction and decision-making, and seeing the new structure actually take shape as quickly as it has, we've had plenty of excitement over the past few months. But Bill and I agree that one of the most exhilarating moments so far was when Tom's crew first cut through the kitchen wall to make the new doorway leading from the kitchen to the back hallway and family room.

Before they broke through, it was hard to picture how all of the doorways and "flow" would work between those spaces.  But with the doorway cut out and light passing between the rooms, we finally could visualize how the rooms would relate to one another.  It was exactly what we'd been hoping for. 

About six weeks ago, this same space looked like this: 

And speaking of breaking through, here's another wonderful new view, this time from the dining room door through to the new bank of windows in the kitchen. What an improvement!