Idea Houses are our way of bringing the Homes pages of Southern Living to life. In each August issue we present classic and comfortable new homes found in outstanding residential developments around the South. But this month, we're building on the success of our Idea Houses and starting a brand-new tradition. Because more of our readers choose to remodel their existing homes than build new ones, we've decided to include a complete home renovation in our Idea House program.
New Take on an Old Idea
A deep, tree-shaded lot in Birmingham's old residential neighborhood of Mountain Brook provides the beautiful setting for Greywell Cottage. Builders Danny Buchanan and Andy Chauvin used the existing floor plan of the single-story, pre-World War II structure as a springboard for the expansion. In developing the new plan, local building designer Chuck Frusterio worked with the existing cottage character of the small house.
Before renovation, the house's existing kitchen and living and dining rooms each faced the street. There were no private outdoor areas that were easy to reach. The comprehensive renovation significantly expanded the house toward the rear.
The addition of the second floor included an area for a media room. Attic space functions as a partial third floor complete with a children's play loft.
New landscaping provides a different range of plants for each of the growing environments found on the site. The front yard receives full sun, the side yard has full shade, and there is filtered light in the backyard. At the rear, the lot sloped steeply down to the alley. Space for a double garage was excavated under the foundation of the new rear extension, and the removed dirt provided material for terracing the lot. Handsome brick retaining walls sculpt the backyard into inviting garden areas.
Welcoming Statement
The layout of the foyer and living and dining rooms remains essentially the same, though a few structural changes maximized floorspace and enhanced the rooms architecturally.
Because the floor plan of the main living spaces is so open, decorator Jenny Edwards used portieres (fabric panels that hang in doorways) to emphasize the sense of separation between some rooms. Fabrics initially selected for the living spaces launched a color scheme that centers around greens and terra-cottas.
