Sometimes better to add than rebuild

What can you do with a century-old farmhouse that's just too small in size and out of date for today's style of living? At first Walter Zenniel toyed with the idea of tearing down the old house and building a new one. But then, after considering the alternatives, he decided to put a wraparound addition on the old building because, among other things, it best fit the life style of the family.

If he had put up a new house, for example, it would have been taxed at a higher rate. Besides, he liked the old farmhouse and didn't want to lose it.

"The house was really too near the road, so by putting the addition on the far side of the house, we helped eliminate some of the noise from the road by putting the center of activity there," alphonse Schanen, the architect, says.

Mr. Schanen points out that the major activity was between the house and the bunkhouse and barn. Thus, it was natural to make a better entrance on the west side of the house instead of the east side facing the road.

The original entrance faces wouth and was preserved when the three-sided addition was put on.

Now the property is owned by Donald W. Tendick Sr., who calls it Lamplight Farms after his business of recreating old-fashioned oil lamps.

According to Bob Clapham of Grafton, Wis., a stonemason, the original house was square. One wall was taken out when the renovation was done.

"The architect planned the addition as an L-shaped design and wrapped it around the house," explains Mr. Clapham.

The original sunporch was kept and winterized. When the new walls were put up, they were filled with insulation material.

Field stone, taken from some of the stone fences around the farm, was used to finish some of the outside walls.

"We knew we wanted cathedral ceilings and deep windows," asserts Mr. Zinniel, and so they were incorporated into the addition.

To the left as one faces the house is the master bedroom and porch. In front of that room and around the front of the original house is the new kitchen with its double sink and island work space as well as the new spacious living room.

There also is a bathroom off the new bedroom and a lavatory tucked in the hallway, both part of the renovation. The new rooms are spacious with the bedroom large enough to accommodate a queen-size bed.