Email
Print
FeedWhat's Old Is New Again
A classic 1920s bungalow gets a beautiful update
Photos by Johan Roetz
“If my wife could have lived without a closet, we never would have done this,” Shaun Cheatham jokes. Shaun and Marjorie Cheatham’s South Tampa bungalow was originally a tiny space that had been enlarged in the 1980s by a previous owner to add an additional bedroom and bathroom. As the Cheatham family grew to include their daughter and now 3 dogs, the house was growing a tad cozy. Marjorie’s quest for more closet space opened the door to discussions of possible further renovations.
And so it began....
Shaun was having some concerns about his initial contractor while the project was still in the planning phase. In an interesting twist, he began discussing his misgivings with his longtime acquaintance Jon Solomon. Solomon, unbeknownst to Shaun, was the owner of Javic Homes, a contractor specializing in both new homes and renovation projects. With a large number of bungalow renovations under his belt, it was a perfect match. “We do a lot of bungalows. This style is fun to me. The Craftsman style has such character,” Solomon says. He offered to take a look at the project and shortly thereafter, a partnership was formed. Ten months later they had transformed this small bungalow into a spacious, elegant four-bedroom, four-bathroom home. And they are still good friends!
The first step of this project was to remove the 1980s addition, taking the home back to its original footprint before any new work began. During construction, the family lived in the front of the home while the addition was being built; they then moved to the addition while the front of the home was upgraded. The two-story addition includes a new family room, pool bath and screened-in porch plus a vaulted side entrance foyer and curving oak staircase leading upstairs to a bedroom and bathroom for the couple’s nine-year-old daughter plus a full master suite.
Looks can be deceiving
From the street, this home does not look dramatically larger than it was originally, but in reality, it has more than doubled in size. A hint of what is to come begins at the front door. A true bungalow, this home features large front pillars supporting a front porch roof structure. In a classic bungalow style, these columns are large solid structures which taper upwards. However, these new columns are made of split-faced concrete block giving the home a modern touch. This architectural element was used many more times: at the main driveway entrance, on the rear of the home framing the covered porch and again on the far side supporting the second story over the screened in “cigar porch.” At the soffit, wooden buttresses, which are another classic bungalow feature, complete the picture.
In the end, no part of this home was left untouched. All the windows in the original house were replaced with new, energy efficient models although they appear totally original to the untrained eye. In the two front rooms, there was extensive plaster damage that required repairing and the molding trim was enhanced for more depth. Additionally, all the electrical and plumbing in the home were upgraded. “This is essentially a brand new house with old bones,” Solomon says.
Updating the space
The front rooms, painted in cool blues and greens with crisp white trim, are the more formal part of the home. The original family bedrooms have been turned into a guest room and a brightly colored play room. The hallway bathroom floor still has the original 1920s black and white hexagon tiles but the fixtures have all been upgraded.
No trace of the old kitchen remains except the bay window space. This room was fully gutted and redesigned with granite countertops, a brick backsplash and brand new stainless steel, Viking appliances. The original rear wall has been opened up to counter seating and an open view into the family room. The oak wood floors of the original home have been matched perfectly in the new portion for a seamless transition.
The new, two-story portion of the home features a large open family room with cushy leather seating and a large brick wall sporting a flat screen TV. Perfect for relaxed gatherings, this is also a favorite lounge for the family—both humans and dogs. Large glass doors open to the covered rear porch and a full pool bath offers a convenient place to shower off.
The dramatic foyer is Shaun’s favorite part of the addition. “We should really be on a corner lot so you can see the entrance,” he sighs indicating the doorway with its arched buttresses and mullion second story windows. “Well, at least the neighbors can enjoy it,” he chuckles. Rich tan faux painted walls add texture and dimension to this large space.
An oak staircase hugs the wall leading upstairs. Fine attention to detail has been shown here as well, in the detailing of the banister and wainscoting. Small vertical slot windows add an interesting design element and natural light.
Upstairs, daughter Alex’s room is a fairy princess’s bedchamber in soft, pale yellow with mural paintings of dainty fairies on the walls artfully created by Walls Come Alive, of St. Petersburg, with the theme continuing in the adjoining full bath. Tiny black and white hexagon floor tiles echo the floors of the original downstairs bathroom in a smaller scale.
The master suite, painted in soothing tones of cool blue, features a spacious bedroom area with plenty of natural light, and of course, a large walk-in, his-and-hers closet. In a unique touch, the master bathroom, while down a slight corridor, does not have any separating doors with the exception of the toilet closet. White marble floors and side-by-side white freestanding sinks create an open, airy feel. The white marble, walk-in shower has a huge rainhead fixture and across the room, a large claw foot tub invites a long soak.
About the only part of this house that did not get some sort of adjustment was the small kidney-shaped pool in the back. As it was still in great shape, this was worked into the new design plan. “Working around the pool and keeping it clean and in good shape throughout the construction process was one of our biggest challenges,” Solomon concedes. Somehow they succeeded because it nestles perfectly into its new bed of pavers and attractive Florida landscaping.
In this home, old and new blend beautifully into a spacious, cohesive whole.
Resources
Builder: Javic Homes, Jon Solomon;Interior design: Rina Interiors, Kathy Bakkalapulo;
Flooring: Etruscan Tile; Marla Davidson Tile & Stone Co.;
Lighting: World of Lighting;
Plumbing: Euro Bath; Ferguson;
Cabinets: Merillat; Design Interiors;
Counters: SKL Stonex;
Painting and mural work: Walls Come Alive
}