Retaining Craftsman-style character in Candler Park tour home

When Milissa Cole bought her century-old bungalow in Candler Park, some changes were immediately obvious, while others required a few years of contemplation.

The aged hearth in the living room was so rotted that she believes it would have fallen in if someone jumped on it. That was an early fix. The 100-year-old kitchen was another.

>> Click here to see a gallery of her home <<

But she felt that the house could be more complete, especially every time she went into the unfinished attic. Finishing out the empty space took longer and encompassed the biggest renovation to her DeKalb County home, which is on the Oct. 2 Candler Park Fall Fest Tour of Homes. More recently, new paint transformed the exterior from yellow to white with dark blue trim.

“It really has been a joy to update this house,” she said.

Snapshot

Resident: Milissa Cole, owner of B2 Creative, and her dog, a border collie named Cat.

Location: Atlanta's Candler Park neighborhood

Size: 2,127 square feet, three bedrooms, three baths

Year built/bought: 1915/2004

Architectural style: Craftsman bungalow

Favorite architectural elements: Coffered ceilings, stained glass and original butler's pantry

Renovations: In mid-2005, she renovated the kitchen and added a breakfast room. She created a pantry and added elements such as glass-front cabinets and pull-out shelving in the kitchen. She also leveled the living room and dining room floors. In 2009, she built out the attic, which ran the full length of the house, to create two bedrooms and a full bath, along with a sitting area that she uses for hobbies such as sewing. Downstairs, she converted the three small bedrooms into one big master suite and created a sitting area by the front door.

Interior design style: Traditional

Favorite interior design elements: Cole, who is from Lexington, Ky., loves to decorate with horse prints as well as paintings from her friend, Vincent Golshani, a Savannah artist and owner of Goldon House Gallery.

Favorite outdoor feature: The front porch, which is used for reading, cocktails and spending time with friends.

Resources: Furniture from Bloomingdale's, Bungalow Classic, Stanton Home Furnishings, RH, Westside Market and French Bleu.

Decor tip: She originally wanted the stairway, located just inside the front door, to jut out sideways to show off the railing. Ultimately, she decided to keep it straight. "I'm so glad I did that. It's much more appealing when you walk in," she said. "It would have looked jagged and cut off."