DEL.ICIO.USFor the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/28/08
After 20 years in their east Cobb neighborhood, Joel and Susan Burrow knew it was time for a change. The retired couple was growing weary of the stairs and the small kitchen in their 26-year-old traditional, but their search for a new one-story house was frustrating.
"We looked for a year and a half for a ranch, but everything we saw was old and needed renovation," Susan Burrow said. "I finally got up one day and said, 'Let's just fix our own house.' We love our neighborhood, so we added on so we could stay here."
 Andy Sharp / AJC | ||
| Rather than move, Susan and Joel Burrow expanded their east Cobb home to better accommodate their needs. Their spacious kitchen and dining room suits their lifestyle. | ||
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With their golden years ahead of them, the Burrows came up with a plan that allows them full access to the house as they age. It also makes maneuvering in the kitchen much less of a chore. The overhaul centered on the tiny kitchen, outdated deck and rear wall of the house that came down to make room for a spacious addition.
By blowing out the back wall of the house, the Burrows had room to create a functional kitchen that can handle the crowds of children and grandchildren they often entertain. The new room is anchored by a spacious granite island with two architectural columns, one of which is a functional support beam for the ceiling. A two-globe chandelier between the columns provides plenty of light over the five-burner stove with a retractable down-draft vent. On the right wall is a low built-in microwave and wall oven; the left wall has a double stainless steel sink. The back splash on both sides of the kitchen is a mix of large and small decorative tiles. The floor is a rich Brazilian cherry; the dark cabinets have a few glass-fronted cases, a wine rack and shelves for storage. But it's the drawers that Susan Burrows loves best.
"I can't raise things up, so I designed it so that 75 percent of what I need is in a deep drawer or on a pull-out shelf," she said. "It's uniquely designed to function for me, but it would work for anybody."
The old deck was ripped out to make way for a breakfast room and a play area, complete with a built-in toy chest and decorated with an heirloom writing desk and buffet. Beadboard wainscoting stretches from the floor up to four sets of double windows that look out to the woods beyond the house, where a gigantic pink camellia bush blooms within sight. French doors lead to a new deck with a gas grill.
"I didn't want to add any window treatments at all," Susan Burrow said. "We put in insulated, low-E glass so we could have the view. Now, it's our favorite place to sit and drink our morning coffee."
Just off the kitchen, the Burrows added a key feature: a roomy elevator that allows them easy access to the garage and storage area below and the bedrooms upstairs.
"At first, we thought we'd have to take out a closet and part of the dining room to fit it in," Joel Burrow said. "But we worked with an architect to come up with a design that didn't change the original layout of the house."
That original plan was created by one of Atlanta's premier builders, John Wieland.
The hardwood foyer leads to a den on the right, with a slate fireplace and door to the new deck. To the left is the formal living and dining room.
Throughout the first floor are family photos that span generations and a wealth of family antiques: his mother's wood-framed settee, her family's mirrored hat rack and bench. Upstairs, there are four bedrooms and two baths. But it's the back of the house the couple brags about most.
"It's great to finally have a kitchen with enough room so we can work side by side instead of bumping into each other," Susan Burrow said.
"And I got two things out of this," said Joel Burrow with a grin. "I got a wine rack in the kitchen and a big grill on the deck."
Have a cottage, condo, loft or mansion you want to brag about? Call MetroHome at 678-574-6461 or e-mail hm_cauley@yahoo.com
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