Description
Style: Bungalows
Built in: 1900-1909
Details:
This Highland Drive Historic renovation included the master bedroom, family room, dining room, the home's front exterior and back deck. A second story addition was added to this historic bungalow style home, as well.
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Originally Built in: 1911
"I met with three other designers before I hired Renovation Design to add a second floor to my 100-year-old house. They supplied me with a design that was just what I wanted and information that guides me through the entire remodeling process. Their product is fantastic and they are great to work with."
-Brian H., Sugarhouse
Adding a second story resulted in a variety of ceiling height and an abundance of windows gives both light and interest to the interior spaces.
Because you could easily stand up in the attic of the original home, Brian asked us to explore the option of finishing the attic. After exploring the option of attic remodeling, it became apparent that adding a second story to this home was the best design option to accomplish our client's objective of adding a master suite to his bungalow. Adding a second story to this bungalow built in the 1920's posed some design challenges because of the weak sandstone foundation. Design parameters such as the narrow lot, small rear yard and zoning restrictions made adding livable space in a second story addition (that felt like an attic space) the most feasible option.
THE STORY
Built in 1911 by the current owner's grandfather, the home is a masonry structure on a sandstone foundation. It originally consisted of a fully excavated but unfinished basement, living space on the main level (living/dining, kitchen, one bath, and two bedrooms), and an unfinished attic space.
Brian wished to add a master suite in the attic addition and reconfigure the public space on the main floor. He also wanted to add a deck onto the rear of the home.
It was important to Brian to maintain the original character of the house and not change the basic look of the front of the home. The kitchen had already been recently remodeled so the design had to work around and tie into the current kitchen.
The house sits on a narrow, urban lot in Salt Lake City and was built to the front and both side setback limits of the lot. The Bungalow is built on a busy commuter street running through an older neighborhood. The lots are small and the homes built close together. To combat the intrusion of the busy street, it was important that the cohesive design of the houses be maintained.
THE SOLUTION
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An open railing on one side allows space to flow, contributing to the feel of openness.
The sandstone foundation with un-reinforced masonry walls made adding a second story challenging. The first design was conservative, finishing the existing attic by adding a small master suite in the center of the existing attic space. Eventually the design expanded to include a master bedroom, walk-in closet, bathroom, office, loft and deck on a second story addition that felt like it was an attic space.
Contrary to the current trend of opening up interior spaces, the large open living/dining area that originally spanned the width of the house was divided into four distinct areas — an entry, a living room, a small library, and a dining room. This design accomodated increased functionality and privacy of each space but through the use of large openings between spaces, the home retains an open feel. A new stair to connect the main level to the new upper level was added in the center of the home over the existing stair to the basement. An open railing on one side allows space to flow between the smaller defined areas of the main floor as well as between the main and upper levels, contributing to the feel of openness.
The second story addition can function independently as a large master retreat. The loft, office area, and deck — situated at the top of the open stair can be accessed by family or friends to expand the area available for daily living or entertainment.
By tucking the second story into the attic space and adding multiple small dormers, the original character and scale of both the home and the neighborhood were respected. The resulting variety of ceiling height and abundance of windows gives both light and interest to the interior spaces as well.
The design utilizes every square foot of a relatively small site. It also takes advantage of spaces that relate to eachother and serve dual purposes minimizing the square footage needed in the home.