Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Storybook House for the Neighborhood
This charming family home incorporates Tudor-style elements, eclectic details and smart planning
These homeowners thought having a larger home meant they would have to leave their beautiful neighborhood in Mountain Brook, Alabama. But when they hired Scott Carlisle to help them figure out what to do, he came up with a plan that allowed them to stay right where they were.
AFTER: Carlisle gained most of the new 1,200 square feet by adding a second story. A composition of Tudor-style gables and dormers keeps the house at a pleasing scale that complements the neighborhood. “The original house had no oomph or sense of entry; we wanted to make it more inviting,” Carlisle says. “We wanted some drama out front and gave it a kick with these tiered steps.”
Natural Choice paint on exterior brick: Sherwin-Williams
Natural Choice paint on exterior brick: Sherwin-Williams
Cedar accentuates the outside; the headers over the windows on the left are the same cedar used on the structure of the large swoop. The roof is composed of cedar shingles. The resulting look seems out of a storybook, full of eclectic details.
Here’s a closer look at one such detail: cedar pieces that cup the gutter to hold it in place. The prominent swoop adds to the home’s storybook style. Note the way the dormers have swooping lines as well. Beautiful new aluminum-clad wood windows let the light into the new entry vestibule.
Windows: Lincoln
Here’s a closer look at one such detail: cedar pieces that cup the gutter to hold it in place. The prominent swoop adds to the home’s storybook style. Note the way the dormers have swooping lines as well. Beautiful new aluminum-clad wood windows let the light into the new entry vestibule.
Windows: Lincoln
Originally a tiny area served as the entry. Now a foyer has a welcoming presence and includes a new staircase leading to the second floor.
Natural light flows in through the front-entry door and windows. The clients opted to forgo their traditional formal dining room for a much-needed office, located through the French door to the right of the stairs.
Windham paint throughout most of house (reduced 25 percent): Pratt & Lambert
Natural light flows in through the front-entry door and windows. The clients opted to forgo their traditional formal dining room for a much-needed office, located through the French door to the right of the stairs.
Windham paint throughout most of house (reduced 25 percent): Pratt & Lambert
Interior designer Shae Bryars designed the cabinetry in the office to hide printers and other electronic equipment. A playful wallpaper enlivens the walls, while antiqued brass library sconces add another layer of light.
Ashley Gray paint on built-ins: Benjamin Moore; Maze Momentum 2 wallpaper: Harlequin; Boston library sconces: Visual Comfort
Ashley Gray paint on built-ins: Benjamin Moore; Maze Momentum 2 wallpaper: Harlequin; Boston library sconces: Visual Comfort
BEFORE: This is the kitchen as seen from the family room before the expansion.
AFTER: “We opened up the exterior wall of the breakfast room with floor-to-ceiling glass; it gets lots of morning light and makes for a cozy space,” Carlisle says. He bumped out the wall a bit within the setback to accommodate the large custom table that Bryars designed and had made locally. With a beautiful breakfast room like this, they don’t need a dining room.
The breakfast room has a wet bar with plenty of storage for glassware. “It’s also a great location to serve from,” Bryars says.
BEFORE: The kitchen was dark and felt closed in.
AFTER: As you can see, the new cedar detail continues from the outside to the inside in the form of large beams. “We talked about whitewashing the beams at first but decided to keep the cedar natural,” Carlisle says. “They add warmth to the space.” He also notes that they won’t silver the way the exterior cedar will.
Another interesting detail is the millwork over the island, inspired by Arts and Crafts style. The cedar accents and large lanterns help bring the lofty ceilings down to human scale.
Another interesting detail is the millwork over the island, inspired by Arts and Crafts style. The cedar accents and large lanterns help bring the lofty ceilings down to human scale.
This room also flows right into the screened-in porch through French doors, so Bryars designed the spaces to relate to each other.
Small Flemish four-light linear pendant: Circa Lighting
Small Flemish four-light linear pendant: Circa Lighting
“We wanted to make the house comfortable for kids,” Bryars says. They also wanted to reflect the owners’ personalities. “He is into car racing and had a lot of racing-related art,” she says. “She loves very clean lines, and a more minimalist and classic look.”
The designer kept the family room simple, with two comfortable sofas and chairs treated to handle stains. The rug is a soft stain-guarded carpet that she had cut and bound. “The leather ottoman is indestructible and gets better-looking with whatever happens to it.… You can spill milk on it, hit your head on it and not need stitches … all the things we were looking for,” she says.
Sofas and chairs: Lee Industries; Morgan hanging lights: Troy Lighting
The designer kept the family room simple, with two comfortable sofas and chairs treated to handle stains. The rug is a soft stain-guarded carpet that she had cut and bound. “The leather ottoman is indestructible and gets better-looking with whatever happens to it.… You can spill milk on it, hit your head on it and not need stitches … all the things we were looking for,” she says.
Sofas and chairs: Lee Industries; Morgan hanging lights: Troy Lighting
While the kitchen footprint remained the same, now it’s lighter and more open to the living room. “She really wanted open shelving instead of upper cabinets,” Bryars says.
A hardworking island that provides lots of storage delineates the rooms yet maintains an open feeling. A hefty slab of Indiana limestone serves as the top of the island. The new floors throughout are 5-inch white oak with a custom color mix.
A hardworking island that provides lots of storage delineates the rooms yet maintains an open feeling. A hefty slab of Indiana limestone serves as the top of the island. The new floors throughout are 5-inch white oak with a custom color mix.
Now open shelves and a luxe marble backsplash bounce the light around in the kitchen. The backsplash and countertops are Alabama white marble. Bryars designed the vent hood, which is wrapped in drywall and painted to match.
“There wasn’t great light in the master bathroom; when it comes to windows, I say the more, the merrier,” Carlisle says. A combination of high plantings outside and mirrors suspended from the ceiling provides privacy.
Glenford sconce: Hudson Valley Lighting
Glenford sconce: Hudson Valley Lighting
Upstairs, the boys’ rooms are connected by a shared bath. They also have a playroom up here.
Orb chandelier: Restoration Hardware; Vendome sconces: Circa Lighting
Orb chandelier: Restoration Hardware; Vendome sconces: Circa Lighting
Thanks to the roofline, the boys’ rooms have cozy nooks and slanted ceilings, including two dormers, each with a window seat. The chest of drawers was built in during construction since it would’ve been difficult to find a free-standing piece of furniture to fit perfectly.
BEFORE: This was the back of the house before the remodel.
AFTER: “A screened-in porch was very important to these clients, as we have a lot of mosquitoes here in Alabama,” Carlisle says. The porch also has a new fireplace and connects with a patio for grilling. The metal-roofed building to the left of the porch is a garden shed.
The renovation also included new landscaping by Daniel McCurry of Father Nature Landscapes. “It’s really smart to spend the money on establishing the landscape,” Carlisle says. “Now they have a great backyard.”
More
The details that make a storybook cottage
Seven steps to creating a new home
Find an architect or designer near you
More
The details that make a storybook cottage
Seven steps to creating a new home
Find an architect or designer near you
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two young children
Location: Mountain Brook, Alabama
Size: 3,600 square feet (353 square meters); five bedrooms, four bathrooms
Architect: Scott Carlisle of Christopher Architects and Interiors
Interior designer: Shea Bryars Design
BEFORE: The original 1940s home was one floor, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms in 2,400 square feet. A driveway and parking court took up much of the front landscape. The homeowners loved their neighborhood, which is full of charming homes, but thought they’d have to move to have enough room for their growing family.