Bringing Back the Craftsman Charm

Homeowners Jack Vice and Amy Bolten are about to be married. They live in an authentic Craftsman bungalow in suburban Maryland. After the wedding the couple wants to leave the suburbs for the city life of Washington, D.C. The historic 2,500-square-foot home was originally purchased from a Sears catalog in 1929. It sits on a large piece of property and offers a lot of countryside for the short commute to the city.

Real estate expert Shirley Mattam-Male pays a visit to check out the home’s assets and liabilities. She loves the porch and thinks the bungalow’s unique history and Craftsman style add a lot of value. The rest of the tour doesn’t go so well. Mattam-Male says the guest bedroom reminds her of a dorm room. The overly-striped décor in the bathroom leaves her feeling nauseous with vertigo. She thinks the sunroom is awful. The sunny space could be used as a cozy breakfast area instead of a combination gym and storage room.

Designer Taniya Nayak agrees with Mattam-Male’s assessment and has a $2,000 plan that will bring some original grandeur back to this classic Craftsman home.

Step 1: In the guest room, replace the dorm-room décor with furnishings that are more in keeping with the period of the home.

Step 2: Get rid of the stripes in the bathroom and update the fixtures and hardware.

Step 3: Repaint the sunroom and make it into an inviting solarium/breakfast area.

Contractors John Allen and Matt Steele are primed and plenty prepared to get the job done.