Working together, two legal professionals renovated their mock Tudor-style home in Virginia-Highland to reflect their love for art and design.
Over 25 years, Valerie and Charles Surasky raised the roof to expand the attic into a second floor, dug a basement, and added a garage and a pool to the home, which will be on the Virginia-Highland Tour of Homes on Dec. 1-2.
Now, his-and-hers bathrooms join the master suite, plus separate closets, a morning kitchen, laundry room and morning porch. Valerie has worked as an interior decorator and Charles is an experienced woodworker.
“All we do is work and travel, and so this sort of became our child,” Valerie said.
Credit: Text by Kat Khoury/Photos by Emily Jenkins
Credit: Text by Kat Khoury/Photos by Emily Jenkins
Snapshot
Resident: Valerie and Charles Surasky, with cats Mooch and Joe Fraser. Valerie Surasky's professional experience includes paralegal work, as well as previously serving as the interior decorator for Emory University's law school and library. Charles Surasky worked in construction while attending law school, going on to work in construction litigation.
Location: Virginia-Highland
Size: 4,000 square feet, three bedrooms, four full and two half baths
Year built/bought: 1923/1986
Architectural style: Mock Tudor
Favorite architectural elements: Terra-cotta roof, covered patio
Renovations: They built out the attic, dug a basement to add space without changing the footprint, added a pool and a freestanding garage, and enclosed two side porches. Inside, they knocked down walls for an open floor plan and renovated the kitchen and master suite.
Cost of renovations: $500,000
Design consultants: Home ReBuilders (roof and attic renovations), Dovetail Craftsmen (freestanding garage) and Jere Bowden (kitchen design).
Interior design style: Traditional with a twist
Resources: Furniture from Barbara Barry, Crate and Barrel, Domestic Comfort, Bungalow 5, Mathews Furniture + Design, Ballard Designs, Cantoni, Urban Cottage, Intown Ace Hardware, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Stearns & Foster, Smith & Hawken and Stickley furniture from Patterson Furniture. Lighting from Circa Lighting and Kate Spade. Flooring and rugs from Kravet, Myers Carpet and Nikzad Floors. Kitchen and bathroom fixtures from Waterworks, Franke, Ferguson, Kohler and European Kitchen & Batch. Appliances from KitchenAid, Liebherr, Garland, Nuova Simonelli, Bosch and Ferguson. Stairwell banister by House of Forgings. Cabinetry and counters from Rutt Handcrafted Cabinetry and Inman Park Marble and Granite. Windows from Marvin. Blinds from ABS Blinds and Smith & Noble. Closets from California Closets and The Container Store. Fans from Fanimation. Wallpaper by Morris & Co.
Decor tip: "Travel and bring some happy memory back and incorporate it, and it will make you smile every time you see it," Valerie said.
About the Author
