Bungalow Wins Renovators’ Hearts

Atlanta Journal-Constitution – Bungalow Wins Renovators’ Hearts
October 15, 2006

The distressed 90-year-old bungalow Kara O’Brien and Paula Rose bought in 2002 started out as just another investment for the Kara O’ Brien Renovations partners.

But its hidden charms slowly beguiled them as they uncovered the work of Boston builder Frank Ruggles, who built the corner dwelling in 1912.

“He just did the quirkiest, most unexpected things,” said Kara. “It’s so neat that they survived 100 years.”

Details like the dining room’s delicate grape-leaf window, hand-carved columns and shelf-topped wainscot convinced them that this house was too special to let go.

So, after adding some $200,000 in salvaged antique fixtures, modern updates and conscientious restoration to their $180,000 purchase, the couple made it their home.

The renovation took a year.

“We ripped everything out and tried to ask ourselves what this would have looked like in 1912, then tried to re-create that,” Kara said.

Not only were they committed to restoring the home’s appealing historic ambiance, they embrace an environmentally responsible ethic that values reuse of materials.

They removed paneling from the crumbling plaster and rebuilt the flooring supports for the second floor.

“The upstairs of the house was within a few weeks of falling down into the first floor,” Kara said.

The modern kitchen with rich cherry cabinets, granite countertops, a slate mosaic backsplash and roomy butler’s pantry was created after Kara and Paula, both 36, joined two carved-up kitchens. The original white pine floor came as a bonus uncovered after peeling back layers of linoleum.

To create the inviting master suite, the couple replaced a wall between two rooms with a pair of 100-year-old columns from their trove of salvaged architectural gems. The suite occupies an addition built onto the original house in about 1920.

Their distinctive newel post collection yielded a sturdy pair from a former West Virginia academy to anchor the staircases up to the second floor and down to the garage. Other ornate post samples provide decorative touches throughout the house.

“When we find neat salvage stuff, we buy it,” Kara said.

The master bath has a mirror salvaged from a nearby Asa Candler house the pair restored.

By far the biggest task the couple faced was re-creating the irreparably damaged terrazzo floors in the guest bath and the deep front porch. Layers of crushed marble embedded in a concrete base had to be continually ground to polished smoothness, a process that took weeks longer than anticipated.

“I’m happy now,” Kara said. “But I went into it blind.”

Now contentedly settled with daughter Walker, 3, the couple has turned their professional attention to the Ruggles-built house next door.

(click on the photos below to view the gallery)