behind the design of a 1920s home in downtown atlanta
location: old fourth ward, atlanta ga
upon our first visit to this home, despite fire damages + altered floorplans from previous renovations, we were able to see some of the original character still in place here. with a desire to present some options to our clients as requested for restoring some of the lost charm to this 1920s home in one of atlanta’s historic neighborhoods, we were able to see where the existing laundry hall was likely once a porch–for laundry!
viewing some craftsman style floor plans in similar shapes + varied sizes also revealed more of the intended flow in the original design of this style of house. common features seen were a central staircase, porch off the back corner + a more closed off kitchen. seeing these details, helped inform our designs we presented to the home owners. overall, the function in a craftsman + typical at this time in american history saw dedicated, intentional rooms knit together seamlessly under one roof. while looking at these plans, it was neat to see which areas had not changed over the 100 years since it’s building as well as the remnants of spaces that remained.
we were excited, as we now could begin to imagine the family who might have once lived in the home, how they may have used the various areas based on the original structure, as well as how it may have looked when it was newly built. ultimately, our clients did decide to convert their floorplan back to a more traditional layout with a simpler, designated space for the kitchen. we were able to achieve this by moving what previously had served as rear-exterior porch stairs to a more central location which in turn improved the flow as well as function of multiple spaces throughout the house. moving the stairs created a dedicated area for the kitchen + it also created a more private hallway to the bedrooms + bathrooms which had been lost in the opening up of the home, the stairs also became a safer + more accessible way to reach the basement floor, which now connects the floors cohesively. in moving the original stairs, we were also able to open up a half sized storage room to an additional bedroom or office area.
perhaps most exciting of all, the home owners were able to locate some original bookshelves once built into a craftsman home in indiana + had those incorporated into the renovation to create a subtle separation between foyer/living room + dining space as also would have been traditional to the original design. when it came time to select the exterior paint, they chose a combination so perfect that their neighbor who has lived in the area for decades, informed them that they chose the original color scheme–it’s safe to say this house is once again a happy home!
overall, this house was a privilege for us to study + help design. we love how it turned out + couldn’t be more pleased for the kind couple who finally got to move back home last month!
of note | i especially love how craftsman homes lend themselves to beautiful, bold decor with beautiful wood staining + art deco details. ryan + i are both drawn to this style + era, so i wanted to also share a few of the beautiful inspirational images our clients shared as an aid to anyone looking for a way to infuse some bold style. if you have been afraid to incorporate color in your home–this is your sign that now is the time!
pencil + ink creative 