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Spring, 2007

Artfully Crafted Cottage

It’s in with the old, in with the new in a reproduction American bungalow in Tallahassee, Florida.

Better Homes and Gardens - New Homes Spring/Summer 2007
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Building a new house in an old style is becoming more common as replacement houses ll in established neighborhoods. In essence, these new/old houses possess all the charm and character of a lovable fixer-upper without the headaches that come with renovation. Such was the premise behind this handsome Craftsman-style bungalow, a new home built in an existing Tallahassee, Florida, neighborhood by K2 Urbancorp, a boutique development firm obsessed with striking a balance between nostalgia and practicality.

“People love the old style but not the upkeep,” CEO David Wamsley says. “Our vision was to build a house with old-home character, warmth, and sensitivity but also one that had modern-day energy-efficiency and livability.”

Wamsley and K2’s team of architects, landscape designers, interior designers, and kitchen designers spent hundreds of hours grappling with what to leave in, what to leave out—decisions that eventually became defining elements in this modern interpretation of a style that was common from the 1920s through the 1940s. “Ours is really a research and development house,” Wamsley says. “We wanted to introduce a new version of the bungalow, with lines, integrity, and proportions that capture the true essence of the bungalow, but that also included modern-day conveniences that would enhance—not detract from—its historical appeal.”

Blending into the existing neighborhood was key to the design. Erected on one of the last remaining lots in an area sprinkled with different types of classic architecture, the bungalow is unpretentious but rooted in period design. “The highest compliment anyone can give is to ask us if we renovated an old house,” Wamsley says.

Homage to the Arts and Crafts Movement is evident in the natural materials; inclusion of appropriate detailing, such as tapered columns and eave brackets; and choice of a spacious front porch. Equally important are some elements that were left out. This was a home, not a museum. So the builders skipped the compartmentalized rooms, dark oak, and costly lighting and plumbing fixtures typical of Craftsman style.

Likewise, traditional features were edited to their essence. While the tiled fireplace, three-quarter-height stained wood mantel, and adjacent cabinetry are distinctly Arts and Crafts, intricate wood embellishments are minimal. “If we could take something out of the design but still accomplish our design goal, we would do it,” Wamsley says. “We kept adding and subtracting details until we arrived at a clean, simple look.”

Airy transitional spaces are another atypical design element that brings a modern aesthetic to the home. A case in point is the built-in knee-high cabinetry that helps define the entry and dining room without blocking the view into the rest of the house. French doors accomplish the same goal between the indoor and outdoor living areas. “In older homes, you are confined to smaller spaces with no connection to the outside,” Wamsley says. “But when you open up those French doors, all of the sudden your living space becomes much larger.”

Larger, however, doesn’t necessarily mean functional. The builders nixed an oversize open kitchen/living area in favor of a generous galley oor plan for the kitchen. Stainless-steel appliances and hardware have a decidedly contemporary feel but read as timeless when paired with classic beaded-board cabinetry, a black-and-white tile backsplash, and honed-granite countertops. “Like a white wedding dress and a black tuxedo, you can’t go more classic than white cabinets and a black countertop,” Wamsley says.

An adjacent breakfast nook with built-in bench seating creates a natural ow from the kitchen to the family room and to the screen porch, which provides an alfresco dining space where Florida sunshine illuminates mornings for much of the year. Furniture choices also contribute to a contemporary feel, such as using a round Danish pine table in the breakfast nook instead of the expected square or rectangular Mission-style table.

This home has become a model for others designed by K2. “What we have learned is not to overdo it,” Wamsley says. “Good residential design starts with good architecture and trained professionals that can communicate a sense of history that works for today’s world. It’s all about creating the look, but without having too much of it.”