“In this part of the world, it is rare for a colonial revival house in Stuck,” says architect Frank Shirley. “But all W. Jackson, the architect, who designed it in 1912, was a European design. I think the outdoor area stuck was reminiscent of him of the English crafts.”
The architect based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has worked on two or three hundred houses since its company was founded 25 years ago. (In 2025, Shirley was included in the prestigious College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects.) This house was built in a well -known American style, “but it was particularly interesting,” he says.
Repair of a rushed conversion
As the new owner of the house in 2020 contacted the architect Frank Shirley, the house presented both outdated function and unpleasant new changes. Sleeping verands up and down had been included; The entrance hall and the stairs had been filled by the renovation; A back staircase that led from the kitchen to the third floor took valuable space and hindered the river.
“An intestinal renovation 30 years ago it played perfectly and not played with its stately appearance,” says Shirley. “An air lock protruded into the hall and hid the formal staircase. The kitchen was hidden by the stairs of these servants, which enabled the only access to the third floor. Over the years, interior changes had influenced both the appearance and the function of the house.”
Its redesign removed the rear staircase to make room for a 21st century kitchen with a washroom. He called for the reconstruction of the main staircase with a custom -made balustrade and brought it to the third floor. The previously cramped entry was opened with a wide, elliptical sheet on the stairs. A mudroom is now comfortable near the back door to the garage.
Bring back balance
In order to restore the visual balance and lightness of the exterior, Shirley replaced stucco walls that had enclosed the sleeping verands with room -high windows and restored the original mass. On the first floor, space houses a winter garden for hibernating citrus trees. The former sleeping veranda above is now part of the primary bedroom suite.
“All work was carried out to allow a single, coherent experience that is rooted in the principles of colonial revitalization in a high style,” says Shirley. He is particularly proud of the work of the carpenter, which is responsible for the stairs, the elliptical sheet and the inner mill.
Sleeping verands
Sleeping verands were common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when tuberculosis was a main cause of illness and death. A general belief was that fresh air was preventive and curative. They were generally shielded on the back or on the side of the house to maximize the air flow. Some stretched over the back of the house to expose three sides of cooler night breeze. Sleeping verands were particularly important in the south. Most of the sleeping verands were on the upper floors, but it was not unusual to find one on the first level. The Americans gave up their sleeping verands when modern medicine proved that fresh air heals no tuberculosis and with the advent of air conditioning. |
The classic look
“John Moriarty is an meticulous craftsman and a joy he can work with. He is now in the 1980s; I hope he has apprentices.” Amanda Reid, director of the Mandarina interior design studio in Boston, directed the selection of furniture: “Many of my projects are in old houses,” she says: “We knew that we have a classic look and feeling.”
You and the homeowners share a love of wallpaper that brings color and texture in several rooms, including the entrance hall, the Mudroom and the primary bathroom. Much of the furniture is antique, collected over the years and refreshed with new upholstery fabric.
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“What I love most about the house is the light – it's fantastic all day,” says the lady of the house. “We chose Frank because he is known for his work with old houses. In our case, it proved to be the best decision we could have made. Outside, the house looks good again and the interior layout really works.” Her husband agrees and says: “It's a happy house.”
– written by Regina Cole. Photos by Randy O'Rourke
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