Special Addition

By: Danny Flanders, This Old House magazine (Page 4 of 4)

Photo: Chipper Hatter

This quaint 1908 Craftsman had an outmoded kitchen and broken asbestos shingles in need of renovation.

Photo: Chipper Hatter

The result of this thoughtful renovation includes a gabled great-room wing that is well concealed behind the newly extended wraparound porch.

Enlarge this image Photo: Chipper Hatter

The wide screened-in porch wraps around the new addition and serves as a second living room where the homeowners can kick back and relax.

Photo: Chipper Hatter

Recycled wain-scoting, a vessel sink, and a vintage mirror give the bathroom a period feel.

Enlarge this image Photo: Chipper Hatter

The kitchen area of the great-room was designed around a favorite salvaged window. The homeowners added stained-glass panes that repeat the home's exterior color scheme. The kitchen cabinets were made from the home's original siding, and the wood countertop was sawn from a timber salvaged from Mobile Bay.

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Renovation Detour
Halfway through the project, Dennis and Jackie got hit with some bad news. Termite damage had rotted the old back porch. "We had to tear it off, rebuild, and rework the master bedroom plan from scratch," says Dennis.

The good news in starting over was that they could use the old porch foundation to create a rear addition in the same footprint. Half the space became a large master bath; they turned the other half into a laundry room and a powder room. Because of its steep roof pitch, the rear addition also provided attic space for an upstairs bedroom and an enlarged bath. "That blew our budget, but we're glad we did it, because we ended up getting more rooms," says Dennis, who estimates that for what they paid for the total renovation they could have built a new house.

But then, Jackie and Dennis recognize the intrinsic pleasure of living in a historic old home. "We like the feel of living with the past, but we also love our big modern kitchen and great room," says Jackie. "When guests visit, they think we simply opened up an existing room to the second floor. They don't realize they're standing in a brand-new addition."