Buckhead family breathes easier with cottage makeover

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REMODELING

Buckhead family breathes easier with cottage makeover

http://www.ajc.com/services/content/living/homeandgarden/stories/2008

/10/26/buckhead_cottage_remodel.html

Cramped space behind them; healthier future ahead for asthma

sufferer.

By H.M. CAULEY

For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Fosgate first noticed a marked change in her daughter's

breathing problems when she and her husband moved out of their

Buckhead home last fall. They rented a home nearby while their 1940s

cottage in the Ardmore Park neighborhood of Buckhead underwent a

five-month makeover.

" We knew we had mold issues in our crawl space, " says. " There

was dust and mold being blown into the house. But she was much

better when we moved out. At the time, we didn't realize it was our

environment that was part of the problem. "

Enlarge this image

POUYA DIANAT/pdianat@...

and Fosgate's older home had a mold problem that wasn't

helping their daughter Harper's (left) allergies. Now she's doing

better. The new home added Earthcraft-certified features and an HVAC

system that improved the air. Harper, 5, now shares a bedroom with

her 3-year-old sister, Dory, in the second-story addition. A trellis

and vines, hand-painted by their paternal grandmother, decorate the

walls.Enlarge this image

POUYA DIANAT/pdianat@...

Fosgate supervises play in Dory (left) and Harper's big new

bedroom in the second-story addition to their Buckhead home.Enlarge

this image

POUYA DIANAT/pdianat@...

The Fosgates' home went from a 1,500-square-foot three-bedroom, two-

bath cottage to a 3,000-square-foot four-bedroom, four-bath two-

story. The former attic meant that the roofline had to be raised

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That realization prompted the couple to complete the expansion and

second-floor addition on their house following Earthcraft building

standards. The finished redo features double-insulated windows;

extra insulation under the roof; energy-efficient light fixtures;

and a tankless water heater. It also cut back on dust and mold with

a new HVAC system; an air-filtering system; and a sealed crawl space

with a vapor barrier.

" Her asthma and allergies are not flaring up on us like they used

to, " says. " We used to have humidifiers in her room, but with

the new systems, her symptoms have been significantly reduced. "

The Fosgates moved into the cream-colored brick cottage in 2004 when

it had three bedrooms, two baths and about 1,500 square feet of the

tight spaces typical of the 1940s cottages in the area. Last fall,

they moved out for five months while a complete overhaul

reconfigured the interior of the first floor, added a second story

and fine-tuned all the elements of the structure to Earthcraft

guidelines.

" Before, the house was a sieve, " says . " We had drafty, single-

pane windows that were painted shut. The vinyl siding was over

rotted wood. It was literally falling apart. But now we have four

baths and about 3,000 square feet. But even with two times the size

and two air-conditioning units, the increase in our utility bills

has been minimal. "

By bumping the side of the house into the yard, the couple was able

to create an open, spacious living room that runs the length of the

house. From the front door, guests now step into a foyer area with a

staircase to the left. At the far end of the room, marked by two

architectural columns, what used to be a sun room is a sitting area

with a brick fireplace flanked by doors leading to the patio.

The galley kitchen that had been updated a few years ago with

granite counters and antique-finished cabinets gained a walk-in

pantry and a semicircular eating area with bench seating below a

curve of windows.

A short hallway leads to the nursery and master bedroom. The

original third bedroom was incorporated into the master as double

walk-in closets and a large bath, with a bay window for the soaking

tub, double vanities and an oversize walk-in shower.

" The original closet was the typical size from the 1940s — not big

enough to fit three dresses, " says . " 's closet was the

baby's room! "

Upstairs, there's a guest room and private bath. A bonus room

doubles as a den and 's office. The rest of the space is the

domain of the couple's two oldest girls. Their loft play area has

the girls' names stenciled around the walls. In their shared

bedroom, the walls were hand-painted by 's mom with a trellis

and vines. In the bathroom, she dotted the walls with butterflies.

Because the original house had an attic, the new level only raised

the roof line by about 4 feet. The change is most visible from the

rear of the house, where the second floor's row of windows looks out

over the backyard.

" We wanted the house to look like it's always been like this, " says

. " We didn't want it to be a massive renovation. It's kept the

feel of the neighborhood. "