Seeking to open up the interior of their house to better accommodate large gatherings of family and friends, the homeowners wanted to combine the living room, dining area, and kitchen into one large great room. This required the complete removal of several interior walls, relocation of the stair to the lower level, and installation of a large beam in the attic to transfer the weight of the roof and ceilings to new posts hidden in walls and new concrete footings below. The stair relocation also created more room at the lower level, allowing a former cramped family area to become a more generous living space. New windows and doors were then placed at key locations at the rear of this down-slope lot to bring in more natural light and allow greater access to the spacious backyard.