Retaining Craftsman-style character in Candler Park tour home

Private Quarters

Built in 1915, with major renovations done in 2005 and 2009, Milissa Cole’s Candler Park Craftsman bungalow now has three spacious bedrooms, three modern bathrooms, a new sunroom and an updated kitchen — all while maintaining the integrity of the architectural style that’s dominant in the neighborhood. She recently repainted the exterior, changing the color from yellow to white with deep blue trim.

Homeowner Milissa Cole was sold on her Candler Park bungalow from the moment she saw its wide front porch. “I’ll have friends over, have cocktails on the porch and neighbors will walk by and join in,” she said. “I love that.”

A long hallway downstairs doubles as a gallery for Cole’s beloved horse prints. The Lexington, Ky., native naturally says she loves horses. “I kind of brought a little bit of Kentucky back here with me,” she says.

Cole knew the kitchen was in bad shape when she bought her 1915 bungalow in 2004. She gutted the space, and updated it with stainless steel appliances from Bob Bailey’s in Stone Mountain, black granite countertops and cupboards in keeping with her home’s Craftsman architecture.

She loves the open shelving in her kitchen. Together with the classic subway tile, farmhouse sink, wood ceiling and Craftsman-style cabinets, the renovated kitchen maintains a sense of history and timeless appeal.

The patina and charm of the 100-year-old feature make the butler’s pantry one of her favorite elements in the home. Like a fine wine, the original butler’s pantry in the bungalow only gets better with age.

While most of the room is bathed in natural light and classic neutral colors, the intense red, black and gold in this original painting by Savannah artist Vincent Golshani shakes things up a bit in the living room.

A second colorful painting, found in an antiques store in Destin, Fla., complements the massive antique wooden wardrobe in an upstairs guest room. For nearly 100 years, the upstairs of Candler Park bungalow was unfinished attic space. After Cole bought the home, she decided the amount of unused space up there was “crazy.” She moved the wardrobe, which the previous owner had left behind, from the main level once construction was complete.

While the guest bedroom upstairs was built in 2009, its painted wooden floors, classic furnishings and full-length looking glass tucked under the roofline mimic the original style of the 1915 bungalow's main level downstairs.

Classic fixtures, tile work and a standalone tub remind guests that they are staying in a 100-year-old home. The separate shower lets them know the upstairs guest bathroom is a recent addition.

In the master bathroom, a claw-footed tub and Gothic arch-style mirror are nods to the home’s century-old roots. It has all the room and amenities of a modern master suite, including marble floors and a standalone shower.

To create a spacious master bath, Cole combined the home’s original bedrooms on the main level. She used that space to build a true master bedroom with a closet and modern dual-vanity bathroom, but kept the design consistent with the home’s traditional style.

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Built in 1915, with major renovations done in 2005 and 2009, Milissa Cole’s Candler Park Craftsman bungalow now has three spacious bedrooms, three modern bathrooms, a new sunroom and an updated kitchen — all while maintaining the integrity of the architectural style that’s dominant in the neighborhood. She recently repainted the exterior, changing the color from yellow to white with deep blue trim.

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