Opening Up an Historic Bungalow
A key component for making this project work is the attitude with which Megan and Andrew approached the future and the remodeling work. They don’t believe that bigger is better; it’s OK for their sons to share a room and they don’t need a large, luxurious master suite. They intend to spend the rest of their lifetime in the home and in the Takoma Park neighborhood. They want a home with the flexibility to work equally well when the boys are teenagers and when they retire.
The family gathers in the open back of the home – with places at the counter or table for kids to do homework and open floor space to play while dinner is prepared or while the parents review their day. There are also places to get away and do more quiet activities – while still being close-by and within ear shot. There were many cost-saving measures including placing the required structural beams below the ceiling and left exposed. We spent a little more to use solid fir beams with a nice but simple detail added to the ends. Surface-mounted Light fixtures that give abundant light — task, ambient and accent lighting — but cost less in wiring and are attractive but lower in price than many fixtures. Notice how the original heart of pine floor was patched in without more expensive feathering. The patches – also in heart of pine – create interesting details throughout.
Small but important details really make the house work well: The Cabinets with the butcher block counter were raised on a 4” plinth putting the counter height at 40” instead of the typical 36” to accommodate Andrew’s 6’ 5” height. He can cut veggies or do other prep work without getting a backache. One of the IKEA cabinets was modified to provide extra counter space and 8” deep shelves around the chimney next to the fridge.
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