Sara Jamieson was charmed by Craftsman-style bungalows she saw in Atlanta’s intown neighborhoods while she rented in Virginia-Highland.
Assisted by Jo Gipson with Atlanta Intown Real Estate Services, the first-time home buyer found a nearly 100-year-old bungalow in Candler Park that boasted modern elements while retaining a sense of the past.
“It had a good mix of old and new features,” Jamieson said.
No major repairs were needed, but she renovated the home to get one of her must-haves — a second bathroom.
Snapshot
Resident: Sara Jamieson
Location: Candler Park, Atlanta
Size: About 1,550 square feet, three bedrooms, two baths (the home only had one bathroom when purchased)
Year built: 1920
Year bought: 2012
Renovations: Having a second bathroom was important for a roommate and out-of-town visitors. A mudroom, which shared a wall with the master closet, was the natural spot to add a second bathroom. "The washer/dryer closet was in a mudroom that was a very large space," Jamieson said. "Once I put the bathroom in, I realized how much that was wasted space."
She selected marble for a shower, floors and vanity countertop, and she added bead board to the walls to retain the style of the home. An original window was preserved when it was moved to the bathroom. A new spot for the laundry room and a closet also were created in the process of adding the bathroom.
Worrisome moment: She bought a vanity from Builders Surplus Atlanta in Smyrna that ended up being 4 to 5 inches too deep for the space.
“I was upset because I couldn’t find the receipt to take it back,” Jamieson said. “They actually cut it in half in the middle and took a couple of inches out and put it back together.”
Design consultant: Andrew Harris of Decatur-based GraysonHarris, an interior design firm
Contractor: Lawrence Stacconi of Atlanta-based Stacconi Construction
Architectural style: Craftsman-style bungalow
Favorite architectural features: The original pocket doors, 10-foot ceilings and the exposed brick wall in the kitchen. "It just had a lot of charm," she said.
Interior design style: Modern traditional. "It had to straddle a line of being traditional because it is this gorgeous 90-year-old home, but it still needed to be fairly modern in terms of the finish and fixtures," Gipson said.
Favorite interior design features: The tile work in the shower and the smart use of space, such as cut-out storage in the shower and a deep medicine cabinet in the new bathroom.
Favorite outdoor feature: Her front porch, which is elevated high above the sidewalk and has room for a swing and rocking chairs.
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