The Perch

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  The design option our clients actually chose employed a number of strategies to help the addition not completely dominate and overwhelm the size and scale of the existing part of the house. First, we turned the new garage to minimize its impact from the street. Keeping this volume single-story maintains an even line for the eye to follow. The "knuckle" that connects the existing portion of the house with the new garage has a second story — almost always the most efficient way to increase square footage — but because it is completely flanked by the two lower roofs, it doesn't appear as prominent. Additionally, the hip roof instead of a gable gives the impression of a lower total height.
  The lower image shows how the three-dimensional computer models we use progresses over the course of the design process (compare to the model in the previous page). Even though it doesn't have all of the details (notice there are no windows in the existing house in the model!) it is still a very effective way to develop and imagine the scale and proportions of the final result ahead of time.