Located on a double lot, this period house was built in 1940 with two bedrooms and one bath. The family, including a boy and a girl, needed more bedrooms- with a separation between the parents and the kids. It was important to the clients that any changes as seen from the front façade appear minimal, to preserve the cottage style of the home.
An unused side porch was removed and two bedroom wings were added, wrapped around a pecan tree. At the kids’ wing, a long hallway leads to a window seat, with a view to the preserved tree. The challenge of the long hallway was overcome by using wood siding as a wall treatment, painting it purple, and interrupting it with a window and bookshelves. The shared kids’ bath features double sinks, cubbies, and plenty of storage for bath toys around the large tub. A fun space, the quartz countertop is complemented by a glass mosaic tile backsplash with bubble tile accents. The bedrooms are roomy with plenty of natural light from the double hung windows.
The parents’ wing, on the other side of the tree, is accessed by a hallway that runs by the new utility room/home office. A strategy to get the washer and dryer out of the pantry, the new utility space also creates distance between the sunroom and the new master suite, and room for a new deck and a window into the bedroom. The bedroom with its vaulted wood ceiling is large enough for a sitting area and built-in bookshelves. The bath features many amenities including a spa tub, a roll-in shower, and a large dressing area. Red mini tiles complement the dark stained walnut cabinetry. Special detailing is seen in the tall art niches with puck lights behind the tub, in the bank of operable windows above the tub, and in the curved seat in the shower that also acts as the tub deck.
Working around the pecan tree in the side yard presented both design and construction challenges. Designated a protected tree by a City ordinance, a visit by the City arborist was required before the permit could be issued. Instead of pouring a slab for the addition, a minimum number of piers were carefully installed so as not to disturb the tree roots. These were followed with structural beams upsized to withstand the load of the wider spans. A fence and mulch were used around the tree and roots to offer additional protection.
The front porch was completely rebuilt, with a longer span. The new roof above the porch required special framing to match the curve of the existing roofline. Rafters were cut with a custom radius and the metal roof was fitted to match.
Great effort was made to keep the details true to the period as seen in the metal roof, Greek returns, front porch columns, and transoms above the master bath door and the exterior door of the utility room. The result is an updated cottage customized for a modern family, with bedrooms for all and even one for visiting guests!