Partnered with great homeowners, Robert Koch Designs reimagined a small 1930’s Tudor home, bringing it into the 21^st century, while still retaining the homes original character.  Located in the City of Decatur, this fantastic home fits right into a neighborhood filled with historic craftsman and Tudor homes.  The use of large overhangs and handcrafted wood brackets on the exterior, adds a level of quality and craftsmanship from a bygone era.  Details from the existing Tudor home served as a guide for the new second floor, pulling the new and old together.  Similar details create a reimagined, larger home that feels like it’s always been there.

Upon arrival, an expansive front porch, adorned with large brick columns, deep beams and a stained wood ceiling leads you toward the welcoming front doors.  Once inside, a large, bright foyer ornamented with a coffered ceiling, wainscotting, and a large, gold chandelier welcoming you into the home.  A large sitting room is to your left, adorned with vibrant green walls, large bookshelves and an original fireplace.  As you proceed through the arched opening, the space opens up, revealing a large light filled stair open to the living room beyond.  The large triple window bathes both the stairs and living room in natural light, drawing your attention to the ornate stained wood railings and stair treads.

The living room is bathed in light by a couple of widows and two pair of French doors, creating an open, comfortable room, complemented by the window seats, built-in shelving, coffered ceiling and recessed lighting.  A large arched opening to the left adds a visual separation between the living room and kitchen, defining each room while retaining a sense of openness between the spaces.  The stove, island sink, and island are centered on the arched opening, creating a kitchen that is functional and social.  The kitchen is adorned with quality details that you’d expect in a new home, including large glass pendants over the island, a huge hood over the stove, a farmhouse sink, and a backsplash wall of white subway tiles.  The contrast of the white cabinets and stained wood island gives the kitchen a rich, clean, contemporary look.

The expansive screened porch accommodates both a dining area and a comfortable sitting area by the fireplace.  The vaulted ceiling creates a feeling of volume, and the stained ceiling and exposed rafters add depth and bring in additional warmth to the space.

A grand stair takes you upstairs to 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, including an expansive master suite.  The vaulted master bedroom ceiling, complete with exposed beams and recessed lighting adds volume. Large triple windows add light and extensive views of the backyard and surrounding area.  In the master bath, his and her vanities sit across from a large walk-in shower, complete with a wall of glass and bright subway tiles.

The additional bedrooms are complete with plenty of windows, allowing lots of light in the space.  The two front bedrooms have expansive vaulted ceilings that maximize the available volume and create interesting spaces for the kids.

On the exterior, the home is ornamented with time honored details consistent with a Tudor home.  The exposed rafters, painted 1x trim boards, and wood brackets add the quality touches needed to make the home look truly authentic.  These details were painstakingly worked out during the design process and detailed thoroughly for the contractor to follow easily during construction. The cream color of the walls is much softer than a lot of the stark white homes popular today, allowing the home to better blend into its surroundings.

This home is truly a shining example of the Tudor style, crafted by an intricate attention to detail inherent in homes by Robert Koch Designs.  To see more pictures of this great project, please visit https://robertkochdesigns.com/projects-item/tudor-transformed/

To see many more projects by Robert Koch Designs and to learn more about the home design process, please visit www.robertkochdesigns.com.  Here you’ll find many examples of both modern and traditional homes, created with an attention to detail and a love of design.