Sunday Open House-- Lanier Boulevard Bungalow

Today I stopped by an Open House in the neighborhood.
This is a 3 bedroom bungalow with 2 and a half baths over on Lanier; an easy walk to Elon's and the Family Dog.

According to the listing the house was built in 1925. 

The style is 1920s all the way with modern additions. 

Upon very close inspection we determined that the front porch originally stretched all the way across the front. The old porch column pillars are visible behind the bushes.  I told you it was close inspection.

This house has been in the same family forever. It was renovated by an heir back in the early '90s--that's 1990's.

Let's take the tour:

The front door opens into the living room--thankfully the door is offset...

with the fireplace over to the side.  There are five--count 'em five windows in the living room--and they're original with wavy glass--8 panes over one.  Such classic styling.

 To the right is an addition--they built in half the front porch back in the 1940s or '50s making an office or den.  The knotty pine paneling and pine bookcases are almost cool.  I prefer my knotty pine painted, but lots of folks like it as it is. 

Next is the dining room--very classic.  A word about the oriental rug;

this one is awesome--its naturally worn. Patina, baby, patina.

I wouldn't be surprised to find it was original to this house.

There's a center hall with a new modern staircase that leads to two bedrooms and a bath upstairs.

The doors along the hall open into the laundry closet with stacked washer and dryer, storage closets, the basement stairs and a powder room.

Originally the stairs were narrow and twisted their way up. In the renovation they were relocated and extended--much better, believe me.

A new galley kitchen was added with modern styled cabinets and Silestone, I believe.  For a galley kitchen, this one isn't bad; there's plenty of counter space and tons of cabinets. It feels roomy. The light fixtures are a little dated and I'd rather have a white kitchen, but again--to each his own.

The dishwasher has to be 20 years old, but it's a Kitchenaid so it'll probably never die.

This family room is part of the addition.
Again, the lighting is not my cup of tea, but it's a really nice space right off the kitchen.

Now for the reason I wanted to see this house:

it has a vanishing threshold.

In layman's terms you walk out onto a patio.

I gotta have that.

The master bedroom was added, too, and you walk right out through the vanishing threshold.

And the master bath. It's very 1990s but the space is great.

The addition was designed by an architect who just happens to be the owner.
You can always tell an architect designed addition--it just looks better.

Now, if I were to buy this house there is one big huge thing I'd do...

 that's build a pool right here.

The rest of the house would be a piece of cake to redecorate, but it takes a special lot to have this:

image source Brooke Giannetti 
                                                                                                                                                              Open House images from FMLS                                                                                                                                                                 



What do you think?




Patti

Charming Brick Cottage

The listing says "You should run to see this one."
Guess they weren't kidding.
This Charming Brick Cottage is under contract after only 6 weeks (that's darn good).

I've walked by this house several times and always paused to admire it.

 It has a BIG addition on the back that is not exactly the best I've ever seen, but adding an addition this way is much easier on the budget than "bumping up" or "popping the top."
 I do appreciate that they copied some of the original features. Notice how the old overhangs were enclosed with slats. This acted as a venting system for the attic--I don't know if it still does, but the look is totally vintage. They copied that on the new addition.

Another detail that was replicated is the windows. Notice one large pane at the bottom and 4 vertical panes on top. Good work there.  Peek at the side door--very craftsman.

Here's the part I could never see from the street no matter how hard I tried to peek in the windows.


 Is this cute or what??

They get an A+ on paint color selection.

It looks like they kept the old built in and probably the chandy is old.

Pop, Pop, Pop!

This family room is in the addition. It's a great space.

The kitchen might be one place they could have worked on a bit more, but this house was priced accordingly and it sold, so there you go. I think a counter depth fridge would do wonders for the space. And I could skip the pot rack.

There are two bedrooms and this bath on the main level.
Outstanding paint selection continues.

The master bedroom is upstairs in the addition. Love those hardwood floors--shoot, it's all nice.

Two words for this room: chandelier-- art .

Now more good stuff...

crunchy pea gravel patio--sounds so good.

                                                                                                                     photo source

Hope you enjoyed the tour. Stop back by and see what else I happen upon.

Later,


Partying with:
French Country Cottage--Feathered Nest Friday
Sassy Sites--Free for All Friday
The House in the Roses--Show off Your Cottage Monday
2805--Potpourri Friday
Stuff and Nonsense--Fridays Unfolded

Before and After "Bump-Ups"

We all enjoy a good "before and after."
Maybe it's like a lady I met once said, "I love to make old  houses pretty."
Here are a few ugly duckling houses that became swans. (photos courtesy of the Atlanta Journal Constitution)

All these homes had second story additions that added much needed living space--bedrooms, baths and closets. Space was added without turning them into McMansions.

This first house, in Morningside, is a good example of Painted Brick with Dark Trim. I blogged a few other homes with this paint scheme a while ago. See that post here.

AFTER

 Like I said before, "There is no special place in hell for people who paint brick."
The AJC article said the owners painted this home to make the addition blend with the original. Lots of people do that. Sometimes its almost impossible to make the new brick match the old.

A few things I like about this renovation:

• added trim to gables with Tudor "turkey track" detailing 
• arched roof on the portico over the front door
• shutters make the facade look finished
• they didn't paint the granite foundation

BEFORE

The next home got a HUGE facelift that includes a higher roofline, front dormer and gable- plus a front porch.
They raised the first floor ceiling height, too. I'll bet that makes it seem a lot roomier.
AFTER

BEFORE

Most of us wouldn't have looked twice at this house. It was sooo plain, tiny and downright ugly. It's located  in Loring Heights; a neighborhood built in the 1940s I believe.

BEFORE

AFTER, its quite a handsome fellow. It's hard to believe it's the same house.  They even added a swing on the porch. Wonder if they painted the ceiling "haint blue."

Next is my fav.  Don't you just love it?  I wish we had interior pictures--sigh.
This home is in Morningside, too, probably built in the 1930s.

AFTER

Why I like it:

• the color--ummm, ummm, ummm
• arched front door with gorgeous X window trim
• shed dormer with 4 windows is in proportion 
• screened porch on the front retains its curved roof line
• (this is just a good picture from a good angle--we know how important that is)

BEFORE-it was big from the beginning and got bigger but not big and tacky

BACKSIDE BEFORE--the walkout terrace was great even then

My thoughts:

• I'm not crazy about the angle of this picture. 
• The roof is probably flatter than I'd like, but the second story blends nicely.
• The short roof between the first and second floors is really important. It breaks up the flatness. 
• That copper roof and those gutters are quite nice (cha ching!)
• The short roof over the French door is good good
• The detail and window box at the middle window add interest, again breaking up the flatness
• They didn't paint the granite foundation

AFTER

If you want to read more about these renovations, scoot over to the AJC for the scoop on second story additions.

later,


Linking to:
Savvy Southern Style- Wow us Wednesday
beach cottage--Good Life Wednesday
The Shabby Creek Cottage--Transformation Thursday

Spanish Eclectic Houses in Atlanta

I just love taking walks in my neighborhood.

Thanks JingobyGee for the wonderful photo.
If I stay close to home I can see a zillion Tudors--all similar but no two alike.  If I go south, I can wander through Virginia Highland and ooh and aah over the great old Bungalows. And if I head kinda west there's a real different combination of styles.

One style I've started to appreciate and admire is sometimes called Spanish Revival or maybe Mediterranean or my personal favorite label: Spanish Eclectic.

Here's a really fine one from around 1930.
Please excuse my photo angles.  I was already worried about the neighbors calling the cops with me snapping pictures so I didn't dare make more of a spectacle of myself and try to get a better view.

About.com has a nice explanation of the style 

from a book, A Field Guide to American Houses, by Virginia and Lee McAlester.

I think I might need a copy of this book.

From the book some of the hallmarks of Spanish Eclectic:

•Low-pitched roof

•Red roof tiles

•Little or no overhanging eaves

•Stucco siding

•Arches, especially above doors, porch entries and main windows

This house has just about every one, don't you think?

Here's the beauty across the street.

 

They didn't mention palm trees as a hallmark, but I think it might be here in Atlanta.  I think palm trees keep the landscape in character.

The Field Guide  says some Spanish inspired homes have:

•Asymmetrical shape with cross-gables and side wings

•Flat roof and parapets

•Or, a hipped roof

•Carved doors

•Spiral columns and pilasters

•Courtyards

•Carved stonework or cast ornaments

•Patterned tile floors and wall surfaces

Next door we have this hidden gem. (gotta be from 1920)

This house is really really hard to photograph.  It was for sale a couple of years ago and the poor agent had dreadful photos of the exterior.  There are just a lot of trees in the yard.

The colums by the front door and at the porch are spiraled--cool. This house just drips with details. I think this one might be more "Moorish" or "Egyptian". 

These Pretty Old Houses have a lot going on.

 Any opinions?

Down the street we have:

and

Note palm tree. 

and this new one

needs a palm tree in the worst way.     

later,

Patti

http://www.pattihinkle.com/