Homecoming
When John’s beloved childhood home came on the market, we purchased it. Sadly, the home was nearly unrecognizable from when he left for college. In the intervening years, the 5,800 sf 1928 home had been stripped of much of the period charm that was so dear to the McCullochs when they lived there. The return is a bittersweet, though epic, design challenge.
John remembers the home through the romantic haze of a happy childhood with seven under one roof. The house burst with life as a home to a passionate artist mother, a dominating politician and lawyer father and a huge dog. The parents made the home a constant wonderland for the children- it featured lush landscaping without, and dramatic antiques and wallpaper within.
When we obtained this home, its sparkling charm had faded. The house had been stripped of period detailing inside. It had been redone in cheap “90’s-Home Depot-particle board” style. The lush canopy over the back yard is gone. In its place stood illegal garages that land exactly on the property line. The storybook atmosphere around the home had faded. When the neighborhood declined structurally, so did its character. The exotic car collector next door is gone. The mysterious, wealthy woman’s luxurious estate is now simply office buildings.
We design to represent hopes and help realize dreams. This house where the dream of a tight-knit learning-based family came true. The past owners chose cheap, unattractive remodeling and eventually lost the house to the bank. Even the neighborhood chose quick profits over beauty; always a mistake.
But even as the beauty of the place was hidden, it still sat next to one of the most beautiful parks; inspiring a future of beauty and quality design. Today, the house stands transformed into a place of happiness for families one again.
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