An Attic Remodel Adds Livable Space
Susan and Guy Chancey's attic renovation was inspired by love – love between a husband and wife, between a father and daughter, and love for a house. It began in 2009, when, after her mother's death, Susan invited her dad to live with her in Asheville, N.C. In order to accommodate Dr. Brannon and his faithful pup Heidi, Susan and Guy would need to create more living space. The choice was either to move out or to renovate the attic. They chose the latter and eventually moved up when dad moved in.
Empty Attic Remodeled Into Two Bedrooms, Bathroom + Living Area
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The Scope of the Attic Renovation
- Created 1,100 square feet of living space
- Increased energy efficiency
- Added a master bedroom with a mountain view
- Designed a funky bedroom for Ella
- Created a dedicated office space for Susan
- Incorporated a cozy TV nook
- Designed a full bath with views, ventilation and a washer/dryer
- Added closet space and extra storage behind knee walls
- Improved privacy for all family members
"We always thought about fixing the upstairs," said the Chanceys, who had been living comfortably on the two-bedroom, one-bath first floor since moving in 2007. The attic was an unused and disregarded space, visible only through a 12x12 inch hole. Susan poked her head through once; Guy, on the other hand, had actually snaked his way up there to secure the heavy living room light fixture. They heard rumors that the previous owner planned to finish the attic, but after gutting the first floor and building it back, they ran out of money.
In order to rationalize the expense of a renovation, Susan and Guy would have to gain a full-service second floor with two bedrooms (a master and one for Guy's daughter, Ella), a full bath and space that could translate into a den and/or office. Susan envisioned an enclosed tree house of sorts, filled with natural light, eco-friendly materials and comfortable furnishings. As a stylist who works in both the wholesale market and antique world, Susan has an eclectic mix of products at her fingertips. A renovation would offer the perfect canvas to integrate her latest likes.
The Process
The Chanceys lured one architect, several structural engineers and five contractors to their 1913 cedar-shake bungalow for consultations. As Susan and Guy shared their vision, they were met with skepticism and remarks such as, "if you've got enough money, anything is possible." And then, along came Bruce Childress, a general contractor who Guy describes as "open and willing to collaborate." The Chanceys disclosed their all-inclusive ballpark $90,000 budget to Bruce and also warned him that they were both picky, especially Susan. Bruce put in a bid, and the eager couple accepted.
The renovation took less than three months, and the Chanceys lived and Susan worked in the construction zone. From the crawl space to the 109" peaked roof, the first phase was spent fortifying the entire house. The crew erected posts and poured concrete in the unfinished basement. They blew open the attic, and installed double and triple LVL beams. Susan explains, "It was just so hard to know how things were going to work until we got up there."
“The details were the devil,” says Susan, recalling the stress with exasperation. “But at the same time,” she smiles, “there were many happy accidents!” The convergence of beams outside the bathroom was one such “happy accident.” What appeared awkward at first turned into an architecturally dramatic moment around which Susan designed a window in memory of her mother.
As Bruce and crew forged ahead, Susan searched for basic building materials such as flooring, tile, doors and windows. She and Guy agreed to buy locally if the price was feasible. Susan grabbed the final inventory of French Bordeaux flooring from a local supplier, as well as five-panel interior doors that matched the ones downstairs. For classic white subway tile, however, she couldn’t beat the price of the big box stores. Once she ordered these elements, she could move onto her favorite part – the decorating.
The Palette
Susan thought about the palette for some time and collected a bunch of paint chips in assorted shades of gray, green, brown and blue. She carried them everywhere and studied them in different light before narrowing her selection down to seven. The palette was inspired by her love of nature – bark, earth and foliage.
To make a connection between the first and second floors, Susan continued the warm gray she used downstairs along the stair wall. She used this color on beams to accentuate the architecture. From here, she doled out the other colors, making sure to satisfy Ella's request for a green room and her own preference for a sultry bedroom color. All trim was a warm off-white.From one vantage point on the sofa, Susan can see into every room and is very happy with the rich relationship of the paint colors.
The Furnishings
She shopped locally and on-line and was able to repurpose a lot of what she already had in the house or in storage. She used sea grass and hemp rugs to delineate between work and play areas. The L-shaped sectional was a find – its low profile and perfect measurements seemed custom made for the family hang out area that Susan coined "the snugglery". The five-minute coffee table was a product of ingenuity paired with a diminishing budget. This make-do coffee table is a recycled hemlock table top on a large wire basket.
Once the furniture was in place, the lighting was installed, and the art was hung. Susan collected a bunch of fixtures that all, except for the modern plastic globe in Ella's room, had that romantic old world industrial vibe. Guy hung all the fixtures, and positioned the articulated lamp at the top of the stairs to illuminate a painting with a saying that Susan adores. "We Southern girls love to have our 'wisdoms' that our mommas pass down," she says.
For a woman who spends a great deal of time on the road redecorating showrooms with each passing season and trend, "the snugglery" is Susan's dreamy come-home-to-comfort place. And while she may have an outstanding plan or two, she is quite content in her nest amidst the trees.
"We spend 90% of our time up here," Guy says, explaining that the other 10% is split between life in the kitchen, out on the porch or around the dining table for family meals. That raw, quirky attic space that naysayers discounted as unviable is now a beautiful, serene and desired retreat. The Chanceys still can’t believe they were able to add all that space onto a house they already loved.
