Historic Carriage House Turned Guest House Renovation
This historic carriage house, located behind our client’s main residence, was used during the 1940s-1950s as a servant’s house. The lower level of the building had three bedrooms to accommodate more than one servant or the servant’s family. The upper level of the house was a garage. After the 1950s the house was underutilized as a place to store musical instruments and equipment. Recently, the homeowners were inspired to create a true updated guest house to host guests for long term or the weekend.
The requirements for a historic house in Jefferson County do not demand the use of existing interior layout and materials. But even so, the homeowners wanted some of the original materials employed in the restoration of the home. In the demolition process, the entire floor was taken up and we found that the beams needed to be replaced. You can find some original floor beams repurposed into kitchen shelving in the house today. We refinished the existing doors and windows, and also kept the original counterweights, pulleys, and hardware.
The house was set up with three bedrooms, but we changed the layout to create a true guest house that is more comfortable for visitors. This updated floor plan includes one bedroom, one bathroom, and an open kitchen and living space to accommodate guests staying for a long period of time.
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After
After
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After
Before
After
We were able to maintain the historical aspect of the exterior, and keep influences from historic Birmingham in the interior of this restoration and remodel of our client’s guest house. It is now a comfortable and homey place instead of a cluttered house with a limited floor plan.
If you own a historic house and are considering a remodel, contact ELM Construction today!
ELM Construction won several 2018 Alabama Remodeling Excellence Awards (AREA) for our recent projects. This competition is hosted by the HBA of Alabama Remodelers. It celebrates the best of remodeling craftsmanship, innovation, and attention to detail.
ELM is honored to be runner-up in the Historic Preservation category for this delightful Carriage House / Guest House renovation and remodel. For more photos of this project, you can visit our gallery.