CHALLENGE Historic photos of this Craftsman bungalow, originally built in 1924, revealed a design flaw that existed from the beginning. The steps from the sidewalk were unfortunately aligned with a view of the side porch, rather than an approach to the front door. Sometime in the 1950′s, the original pillars and railings were almost entirely replaced by wrought iron panels, window sills chopped off, and beveled cedar siding covered with asbestos shingles.
SOLUTION The new stairs borrow the scale and details of the original porch railing and add curb appeal. The transformation required skilled carpenters to replace rotten boards, restore window sills, improve ventilation, and restore the structural stability of the porch roof.
'AFTER' PHOTOGRAPHY © Dan Achatz, 2008
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