Kenward article - PDF
TRADING FACES –
THESE ATLANTA HOMES ALL HAVE NEW FACES WITH PERSONALIZED SPACES.
Five Atlanta architects were asked to design renovations in some of the city's most cherished neighborhoods, with the owners choosing many of their favorite styles, colors and materials for the updated façades. An added bonus: more square footage inside, on top or in outdoor living areas, customized to enhance the homeowners' lifestyles.
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Atlanta Homes & Lifestyle,
October 2000 >
What started as an investment property for Beth and Fred Blumer became a home customized for their own family. The more they worked on renovationg the Buckhead house, the more they fell in love with its possibilities.
Architect Ken Rich of Kenward Architectural Studio says the challenge was in "showing what a 1960's ranch can become, cost-effectively, without bulldozing it."
"Ken pulled it all together with his smart, practical ideas. He created intelligent spaces throughout the interior," Fred says.
A second story added new bedroom suites for the children, and the basement was finished with an au pair suite and private entrance. Fred himself acted as general contractor, though by day he's an attorney and president of X-Spand International, a firm that helps companies expand their operations overseas. "I worked my way through the College of Charleston by renovating historic homes, and I still love doing it," he says.
Once the home was expanded from 3,500 to 5,500 square feet to suit the Blumer family lifestyle, Rich and Fred wend to work on making the exterior resemble an English country cottage that is harmonious with the neighborhood. The old brick was removed, cleaned and reused, along with stacked stone, shingles and siding for the "multiple-texture" effect Fred has loved since his days in Charleston. They chose an earthy, natural paint color called "putty" to complement the stone, and people often stop by just to inquire about it. "Adding the textures gave the home curb appeal; so did changing the roofline," Rich says.
"We wanted to lift the whole entrance, which was low and dark due to the canopy of mature trees," Fred explains. "Ken created gables on the front to let the light in. To accentuate the high ceilings we added the arched front doorway."
The custom-designed door of Honduran mahogany with beveled leaded glass, Rich says, draws the eye to a center point. An arched window beside the door frames a new family music room where all the Blumers play instruments.
Fred has transformed the one-acre lot into a family recreation area that includes huge concrete pads in front and back, so the children can bike and skate safely away from the street. "The renovation ended up being more major than we intended, but we love the outcome," Fred says.