Franklin and Heather Johnson looked to experts to retain the charm of their 1930s home in Atlanta’s Druid Hills neighborhood but to make the residence livable.
Crown molding, plaster walls and the cast concrete mantel remained while walls, cabinets, sinks, countertops and more were torn out. The six-week renovation was chronicled on HGTV’s “Property Brothers.”
“I think we stayed true to the house,” Franklin said.
Snapshot
Residents: Franklin and Heather Johnson and their chocolate lab, Beau. Franklin is an investment analyst at Aon Hewitt; Heather is operations and planning program manager at Emory University School of Medicine.
Location: Atlanta's Druid Hills neighborhood
Size: About 2,300 square feet, four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths
Year built: 1930
Year bought: 2013
Contractor: John Rogers Renovations
Architectural style: American Foursquare
Favorite architectural elements: Deep crown molding, arches in living room, plaster walls
Type of renovations: The living room, dining room and kitchen were remodeled, along with a new laundry room and workshop. The old galley-style kitchen was cramped and not functional, especially when entertaining, Franklin said. The kitchen had to be gutted, taking up most of the budget, they said. A wall was removed to open up the dining room to the kitchen and to add a breakfast bar. New shaker-style cabinets, stainless steel appliances and black countertops were added. A must-have for Heather Johnson was a farmhouse sink. "We just tried to keep it clean and classic," Heather said.
In the living room, the hardwood floors were finished and the fireplace was resurfaced with subway tile. Now, the fireplace has the old charm of the original cast concrete mantle with an updated look that will be timeless, Franklin said.
Cost of renovations: $90,000. They paid for most of the materials and labor. Some items, such as the appliances, were donated, since the renovation was filmed for HGTV.
Consultants: Designer Jennifer McKune, Fifth Avenue Solutions; Personal Touch Lawn Care (front yard), Vivid Digital Studios (painter)
Interior design style: Traditional
Favorite interior design elements: Tables and other items handcrafted by Franklin (his furniture is for sale on franklinsfurniture.com). The centerpiece of the dining room is a square table he built that can seat up to 10 people. The table fits with the home's architecture and with the scale of the new dining room, Franklin said.
Favorite artwork: A painting by Atlanta artist Sergey Cherep.
Resources: Furniture from retailers such as Pottery Barn, World Market and Havertys; appliances by Frigidaire, rugs from Floor & Decor.
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