Historic Rehabilitation Through Our Client’s Lens

Arcollab worked with our clients, Frances and Jim, and local builder, John McLeod, to restore an old house located within a historic neighborhood in Athens. “There were constraints on changes we could make to the exterior,” said Frances. “Nevertheless, working within the footprint of the existing house, Arcollab was indispensable in the creation of a livable and beautiful space that introduces modern design elements and honors the origins of the house.” 

When asked to contribute to this project, Frances responded, “It was difficult to choose what features to highlight, there are so many things about our house that we love.” Join us for a peak through our client’s lens.

The living room is located on the north side of the house and can be dark, especially in the winter months. Since we were unable to add additional windows, Lori designed the room with a vaulted ceiling and added two solar powered skylights (that automatically close if it rains) which bring light into the space and help to cool it in the summer. The vaulted ceiling exposes the original beams which add character and warmth to the space. 

Lori designed several custom built cabinets made of reclaimed pine that are incorporated in several spaces in the house to complement more modern elements. This side cabinet in the kitchen is a shining example.

This is another example of the reclaimed pine custom cabinets. The shelves give us space to display pottery and provide storage. The divider is open to the living room which adds lightness to the design. The upright supports are reclaimed wall studs. The old fireplace and chimney were previously buried in the walls. We chose to expose and highlight this historic element of the house.

This is the view from our bedroom, which is located in a new structure connected to the original house via an enclosed breezeway hyphen. Since this was new construction, we could have large windows with a beautiful view of the garden. It’s a joy to wake up in this space.