before & after

The owners of this single family residence in the Yalecrest neighborhood of Salt Lake City won a Preservation Award at this year’s Utah Heritage Foundation’s Awards Banquet. (See the full story here.) Jon and Donna Dewey contacted us a few years ago when they were seeking to renovate their home to capture existing unused attic space and create additional space within the existing roofline, all while minimally changing the appearance of the home.

By adding a second cross gable to the upper story, space was added without overwhelming the home, representing a typical addition for a single level brick tudor home that is sensitive to the original design.

The homeowners managed to stay in their home throughout the remodel–not something we’d recommend for most clients, though they seemed to genuinely enjoy the process of watching the renovation take shape.

The homeowners now have a generous master bedroom suite in the captured space upstairs.

The Yalecrest neighborhood is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The design of the home met the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation as well as a local review by the Salt Lake Historic Landmarks Commission.  Because the home was considered a contributing structure within the national historic district, the home also qualified for the Utah Historic Preservation Tax Credit.

Before photos by Jon Dewey

After photos by Sara Bateman

We received an e-mail today announcing that Sarah Susanka’s book, Not So Big Remodeling has just been released in paperback.  So why are we posting that here?  Well, a few reasons.  We’re seeing an uptick in calls about potential remodeling projects and consider this book an excellent resource for visually showing and explaining “not so big” principles of remodeling, something we espouse. The “not so big” way seeks to maximize a home’s potential by working within the existing footprint, creating a bump out, or adding on just a little.  Hundreds of photos illustrate these concepts,  and honestly, who doesn’t love a good before and after photo?  One of our projects, (our own home) was featured in this book and reminded me of the process we went through when we decided to remodel.  Warren’s design utilized unfinished attic space, reconfigured existing spaces, featured a bump out in the dining room and a modest addition to the rear of the house, adding only 450 square feet to the footprint of the house (see first two before & after photos below). Not So Big Remodeling is available at the Salt Lake City Public Library and online. (more…)

The current issue of Utah Style and Design features one of our latest remodeling projects on the cover. The homeowners wanted a contemporary, open kitchen and living area that could accommodate family and friend gatherings.  Visit our portfolio section to see photos of the completed project and editor Brad Mee’s blog to see some before/after pictures and learn a bit more about the project. (more…)

Setting: This single-story Victorian cottage is located in the Avenues Historic District, the oldest residential neighborhood in Salt Lake City. It’s a short walk to the Cathedral of the Madeline and downtown area from the home.

Clients: A married professional couple, Adam & Lee, who lived in the house for several years prior to starting their remodeling project.

Background: Because of the home’s location within a local historic district and a previous owner’s detailed listing of modifications over the years, Adam and Lee were able to find out many details about their property.   (more…)

Setting:  A residential neighborhood in the Richmond Beach area of Seattle.

Clients:  If you read the previous post on this house, you may remember this renovated beach bungalow.  At the time of the remodel a decade ago, the clients had two children; they’ve since welcomed two more children to their family. (more…)

One recurring theme in recent years at conferences sponsored by the American Institute of Architects is the adaptive reuse of historic buildings, a smart approach to construction both for its green elements and the preservation of history.  Warren has worked on a number of these preservation projects in Salt Lake City.  The first such project, The Westgate Lofts, was completed a few years ago, and involved converting an old warehouse building to mixed-use housing and retail spaces. (more…)

Taylor Woolley was a native Salt Lake  architect who worked in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Oak Park studio and and later at Taliesin in Wisconsin. Woolley travelled with Wright in Europe and contributed to the drawing and production of the Wasmuth Portfolio, a two-volume folio of Wright’s early work,  published in Berlin in 1910.

The Yale Avenue Ray House, built in 1915 was one of Utah’s earliest examples of Prairie Style homes with its extended hipped eaves, horizontal belt course,  and ganged windows. The influence of Wright is unmistakable. The current owners, Mike & Jenny Pulsipher, gave us the challenge and opportunity to design an addition that would respect the original house while providing needed space for their family. The solution included south-facing covered balconies and a new master bedroom over a new family room space, all oriented toward a contained backyard. (more…)

In 2008 Warren launched one of our most ambitious remodeling projects ever, that of our own office building. As his wife, to say I was a little concerned would be a bit of an understatement, but happily his vision won over my worries (be sure to scroll down to see the “after” photo). The most recent issue of Utah Style and Design features the story of our office remodel (see pages 44-46). Utah Style has also posted a “behind-the-scenes”  narrative of the photo shoot on their blog.   To see photos of the finished interior,  visit the portfolio section of our website.  Better yet, if you are in the area, give us a call to schedule a tour of the building.

In our first entry of the “Every Building Tells a Story” series, we’re featuring a project Warren completed a few years ago in Seattle.

Setting: A quiet neighborhood set on a hillside in North Seattle with endless views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains beyond. The neighborhood is home to an eclectic mix of beach shacks and luxury homes.

Clients: A newly married couple with 2 kids, ages 9 and 12. The husband is a filmmaker and the wife is a sales rep for a sweater and sustainable clothing line.

Background: Shortly after their marriage, Rick and Julie began searching for a suitable home for their family of 4. After an unproductive afternoon of visiting open houses, they asked Warren to meet them at a little cottage that Rick owned in Richmond Beach to explore the possibility of remodeling. Would it be worth pursuing? The house, originally built in 1935, was located on a high-bank waterfront piece of property. Rick had owned the house for several years and stayed there when he was in town–a place suitable for a single man, but needing some serious attention to accommodate a family.

Above: A few before photos of the house under consideration

(more…)