Project
182
Residential > Renovation
Residential > Renovation
This 1920s Tudor cottage was designed by the New York firm of C.C. Wendehack and executed in Atlanta by Ivey and Crook for Joel Chandler Harris, Jr., son of the well-known writer and folklorist Joel Chandler Harris. Viewing themselves as stewards of the property, the current owners wanted to carefully restore and expand the home in order to accommodate their growing family. By approaching the project with a shared philosophy of respect, understanding and restraint, the collaborative efforts of the owners and Harrison Design Associates resulted in a house that provides modern functionality while celebrating the essence of its original character.
Less formal than many of the surrounding homes, the cottage employs a rich vernacular that evokes a sense of nostalgic charm. These sentiments are expressed in the form of intimate spaces, warm materials and imaginative detailing. The clients’ vision not only included retaining as many original elements as possible in the existing spaces, but also incorporating these elements into the planned expansion. The team accomplished this goal in part by ordering new windows from a small manufacturer in Great Britain that precisely matched the home’s 1920s windows, designing over-sized custom carved mouldings to complement the original mouldings, and replicating the unique texture and application methods of the plaster walls.
By relocating and rehabilitating a poorly renovated carriage house, the home now has a modernized three-car garage and stand-alone guest cottage. Although unique in design, the carriage house relates to the main house in both massing and detailing.
This home received a 2009 Shutze Award for Excellence in Renovation / Addition from the Southeast Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America.




