Renovation of 1920's Tudor Home — Haverford, PA
The existing structure was originally built in 1927 by architect S. Arthur Love and builder Donald Love. It is situated in a complex of houses modeled in the style of an old English village. Although a charming community the lot sizes are tight and the homes are of modest scale so any interventions must be carefully planned.
When our client purchased the home it was in dire need of renovation. Though the home was charming, its construction was substandard and its rooms small and the second floor was particularly a rabbit warren of low ceiling spaces. The client wanted to open up the plan and create a large kitchen/family room, while also adding a study, wine cellar and exercise room without any additional lot area available for a sizable addition.
In ©1940, a two-story addition had been added to the home, along with a one-story quarter round flat roofed structure. MJRA added a second story to the one story flat roofed structure to gain the desired study and to open up the second floor plan. Ceiling heights were also raised and openings in hallways introduced to create a feeling of space without increasing the houses footprint.
The new kitchen/family room was created by tearing out walls between the existing kitchen/dining room/family room spaces. The kitchen was relocated out of the main entry view so there is now a pleasant view through the family room and into the back garden.
The existing basement was a dank unusable space. MJRA detailed a new waterproofing system and finished the basement to create living spaces that now house an exercise room, laundry, and wine cellar, again without having to increase the footprint of the home.
Exterior site work was designed by MJRA as well: worn out wooden fences were replaced with masonry retaining walls, the front brick steps and walks were replaced, and the rear garden area was redesigned with a new deck and garden layout.
To maintain the homes original charm all repairs and the second floor addition were done in the same materials as the original. The second story addition façade was constructed of wood and stucco half timbering. The new roof used shingles to match the existing. The new siding is cedar matched to existing, and repainted. Existing diamond-paned windows that needed to be removed for new work were salvaged and relocated elsewhere on the home.
By careful and skilled planning MJRA was able to update the home and give the client much needed spaces with hardly any new footprint. All the changes were carried out so the home retained the original character of the Tudor/English Village-style house while modernizing it to suit the lifestyle of the client.