There was nowhere to go but up," recalls homeowner Janie McDonald of her living
room renovation. The close proximity of the houses on either side left no room
to expand the floor plan. "But there was plenty of room to raise the ceiling,"
she explains.
Carved from attic space, a new tray ceiling with tongue-and-groove slats makes
the space seem much larger. The boards were whitewashed to give an old-world
effect, and recessed lighting was added to the new ceiling to make the space
seem brighter.
"We tried to increase the overall vertical appearance of the room," says Little
Rock architect John Allison, who created the design.
He and Janie worked to incorporate lines that lift the eye, including the tray
ceiling and the newly remodeled fireplace. "We applied cast stone panels over
the old fireplace," John explains. A less expensive alternative to replacing the
entire fireplace, cast stone was fitted directly over the old masonry.
On the mantel, a tall urn filled with sunflowers is flanked on either side by
candlesticks. These and other accessories--including lamps, candles, and an
antique birdcage--help draw attention upward.
Instead of window treatments, Janie chose simple wooden shutters. They open for
light and close for privacy, while their upright lines emphasize the room's
height.
As opposed to closed paneled doors, more open French doors connect the living
room to other areas of the home. "My favorite thing is that the room really
feels larger without additional square feet," says Janie.
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Attic Antics
Architect John Allison shares some tips on renovating.
• Have an architect or structural engineer review the project before construction begins.
• Keep the increased vertical space in proportion with the rest of the room. If you have a huge attic and a smaller room, you may not want to use all the available space.
• Incorporate existing structural elements when possible. Because they were deemed strong enough, the existing attic rafters were used, which also saved money.
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"Expanding the Space" is from the October 2002 issue of Southern Living.
