Classic trimmings like blocky dentil molding around the ceilings and original features, such as a clawfoot tub, charmed Aaron and Amanda Clark into purchasing a Peachtree Hills home.
“That molding really set it off, I feel like, when you walked in the door,” Amanda said.
To avoid outgrowing the home, they recently expanded the bedrooms and gained more storage by taking part of the back deck, a sunroom and a closet to make the best use of the odd-shaped, narrow lot. Amanda decorated the existing and new spaces with floral prints and a variety of furniture, including cane-back chairs, collected over the years to avoid being matchy-matchy.
Snapshot
Residents: Aaron and Amanda Clark and their dogs, Charlie, an English mastiff, and Macy, a Yorkie. Aaron is regional director for Paylocity; Amanda is a physician assistant with Digestive Healthcare of Georgia.
Location: Atlanta's Peachtree Hills neighborhood
Size: About 1,780 square feet, three bedrooms, two baths
Year built/bought: 1928/2013
Architectural style: Craftsman
Favorite architectural elements: Original dentil crown molding and high ceilings. "What first caught our eye when we were considering buying this home were the high ceilings and big windows that create such a feeling of openness, even though it is a smaller home," Amanda said.
Project consultants: Architect Robert Kauffman, contractor Thomas Drew with DBD Renovations & Homes, interior designer Cristina Desmelik and Andrei Kozlowski with ROC Cabinetry
Renovations: Two additions expanded the tiny master suite and created a third bedroom with space-saving pocket doors. They also renovated both bathrooms and the kitchen, which now has an island, pantry and stainless steel appliances as well as granite countertops, white Carrara marble trim and a decorative white marble mosaic inset over the stove. They rewired the home, replaced the windows, and repainted the interior and exterior (using colors such as Sherwin-Williams' Sea Salt, Worldly Gray and Grays Harbor). When they added a new doorway, they created a mudroom and a sitting area.
Cost of renovations: About $160,000
Interior design style: French country chic
Favorite interior design elements: "Most of the items are pieces I have found in junk stores or antique shops and refinished myself," Amanda said. For example, she refinished and painted the dining room buffet and paired it with chairs from Nextdoor that she painted and recovered.
Favorite artwork: A collage of Atlanta landmarks by Maria-Louise Coil in her living room and wooden folk art signs throughout the house from a Brunswick artist known as Miss Kay.
Decor tip: The plans for the renovated kitchen originally didn't include replacing the two existing windows, but when the cabinet designer sent along a template with one wide window, they liked the look and decided to implement it. The window and its views of greenery was one of the most surprising "wow factors" in their kitchen redo, Amanda said.
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