Chamblee Residence
A significant remodeling transformed a post-war bungalow into a unique Prairie-themed heirloom home. The modest clapboard house had an excellent solid granite foundation and rear walkout basement, which were incorporated into the new design. However a family with two young children would require twice the space of the original house.
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The footprint was expanded forward and up and completely repartitioned in accordance with the new style: the new foyer, living, dining and kitchen spaces are contiguous with an integrated running trim detail and use wood-lined tray ceilings to delineate the center of each "room".
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Using "Not So Big House" ideals at every opportunity for a family with a lot of activities and a lot of storage needs, each space has special double-duty areas. The built-in dining room credenza presents a quartersawn oak veneer front for formal occasions but can be opened up to a kneespace and removable tackboard back added to convert into a "home command center". Overhead is a mix of door-front compartments and open veneered cubes to handle displaying art and hiding equipment. The same mix of function carries across a full-height millwork wall that unifies the dining and living rooms, at times displaying artwork, hiding the tv and organizing books.
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Making a "lifetime home" means smart planning, such as putting the master suite on the first level and giving it unobstructed access to outdoor spaces. The master bedroom connects to a previously-existing screened porch. Responding to clients that appreciate varied styles, we created the master bathroom with a minimalist, boutique hotel aesthetic and with a nod to their love of ancient and modern Japan. Monoliths of carara marble define tub and shower, which contrasts with floors of split face slate and natural riverstone. The zebrawood veneered vanity adds further texture and all is reflected in the full-wall mirror. The Prairie style persists upstairs with a high painted wainscot which blends the stairhall into a light-filled corner playroom. A reading nook at the top of the stair does double-duty for sleepover parties. The home is a model for the ability of high style to coincide with sensible living and a reasonable budget.
