The Renovation Of A Birmingham Abode Prioritizes Character
A high-gloss formula by Fine Paints of Europe enrobes both the walls and ceiling of the library. Verellen’s plush Duke sofa mingles with a GamFratesi travertine coffee table from Gubi and McGuire lounge chairs with cushions of Rose Tarlow Melrose House’s Turin linen.
Birmingham homeowners find flexible spaces for family life and entertaining in an antique cottage surrounding a central plaza.
A Birmingham architect dedicated to preserving her city’s character, Laura Bartlett adores a diamond in the rough. Over dinner one evening, her clients— a couple she already knew socially—shared a decisive vision for their future abode: a one-story residence wrapped around an open-air central courtyard. But in the famously hilly Iron City, it is rare to find a swath of flat land large enough to incorporate such a floor plan. The pair fully anticipated spending years to locate the perfect lot, then building their dream home from scratch.
So, who could have imagined that within two weeks, they would find a 1923 dwelling that precisely fit their parameters? Tucked along a secluded drive and perched high above the city, the C-shaped residence nestles into the classic neighborhood of Redmont Park, where tree-cloaked surroundings create an away-from-it-all sensibility mere minutes from lively English Village.
Still, the aging abode would require significant TLC. “This house would not have suited every client,” Bartlett admits. Many would have acknowledged the courtyard’s negative space and proceeded to capture it for an addition or new construction. Instead, “I loved that they wanted to keep it open and airy, allowing the whole interior to be infused with sunlight.”
The architect worked with the couple to master-plan the property, beginning by establishing strong sight lines. The library and kitchen share a new double-sided fireplace positioned on axis with the kitchen sink—which in turn aligns with a new linear swimming pool surrounded by hemlock-guarded gardens. The new water feature was sited with assistance from landscape architect John G. Wilson, who also consulted on plantings to complement the bluestone courtyard, among them native azaleas and ferns.
Home Details
Architecture:
Laura Bartlett, Laura Bartlett Architect
Interior Design:
Melanie Pounds, Melanie Pounds Interior Design
Home Builder:
Trey Goldstein, Cotton Construction Inc.
Landscape Architecture:
John G. Wilson, Golightly Landscape Architecture
Gray-green walls provide a moody backdrop for pre-war framed panels of Zuber wallpaper in the library. The dining room beyond showcases Fisher Weisman’s Gilded Cage chandelier above a white oak dining table by Sublime Original and vintage Cab 412 chairs.
Architect Laura Bartlett conceived the kitchen’s snug dining banquette, for which designer Melanie Pounds specified verdigris-colored Edelman leather. Pendants by Miri Mara Ceramics light Verellen furnishings beneath.
In the family entry, hardware from Brandino Brass Co. dresses up reeded bar cabinetry by Cotton Woodworks, which conceals Sub-Zero refrigerator drawers. Kenneth Jones of Woodworking Dynamics crafted the curved door. A Visual Comfort & Co. pendant hangs above the Verellen rug.
Bold slabs of Fantasia soapstone by Surface One set off the kitchen’s stainless steel Wolf range. The wood beam, wax-finished by Daniel Whitsett of Paintworks Design Studio, brings soft rusticity to walls of Farrow & Ball’s Shaded White.
Farrow & Ball’s Studio Green creates an immersive vibe in the multifunction reading room and office, where Bartlett’s custom window bench maximizes storage. Jones constructed the custom white oak side table; a Kartell chair partners with an antique Danish rosewood desk.
One of numerous entries to the home dotting the courtyard perimeter, a steel door by CH Welding is flanked by custom louvered wood shutters fabricated by Jones. Family dog Odin greets guests before cedar shake siding from Brown Lumber & Building Supply painted Pratt & Lambert’s African Night.
Enhanced by landscape architect John G. Wilson, the courtyard features dry-set bluestone pavers from Acme Brick. Bespoke limestone tables by Birmingham Stone join teak dining benches and lounge seating by RH to complete the material palette.
The bulk of the renovation involved “peeling back layers added over the years,” Bartlett shares. Furthermore, a former garage became the new primary suite, placing the parents opposite their two children with a view across the courtyard for bedtime supervision. A circa-1970s sun room addition was transformed into a terrace while square footage was adjusted elsewhere, freeing up space for a modernized kitchen and newly elongated, lacquered library.
Working closely with builder Trey Goldstein, Bartlett introduced new cased openings that soften the home’s passages and improve flow. And although the renovation retained the structure’s original dormers and transoms, replacing some windows and numerous entry doors with sleek steel versions had a transformative effect. “It’s still a cottage, but it got a little sexier, more updated,” Bartlett says. Cedar shakes—a standby since the 17 th century—refresh the exterior walls and roof, reaching back to the past while still reading as current.
Given her passion for interior architecture, Bartlett’s scope blended seamlessly with designer Melanie Pounds’ more nuanced touches. Pounds describes the couple as “confident and lovely,” with refined tastes and a passion for travel and entertaining. “I love when clients have a strong sense of style,” the designer continues. “In this case, they know exactly what they like.”
“I love when clients have a strong sense of style. In this case, they know exactly what they like.”
–MELANIE POUNDS
Items personal to the owners (travel souvenirs, artisan pottery, family heirlooms) invigorate the interiors, harmonizing with the home’s rich history and personality. The couple’s collection of art, particularly Asian panels inherited from the husband’s mother, influenced the color or mood of many rooms. Palettes took further inspiration from the verdant treetops and gardens; blue-greens, ochre and other hues bookend or mark transitions between rooms, moving from dark to light. Pounds completed spaces with comfortable upholstery in tactile, durable textiles that could sustain life with two school-aged children and two rambunctious dogs.
Flexibility remained key for the young family, with rooms designed to adapt to their changing needs over time. Case in point: The French door-lined dining room doubles as an impromptu workspace, and a cozy office serves as a playroom, reading nook and additional sleeping spot for overnight guests. “These clients were honest about the home they bought and wanted to be honest about the space and how they would use it,” Pounds notes.
Continues Bartlett: “I’ve loved watching how the house has evolved alongside these owners; sometimes there’s a basketball net in the courtyard; other times it’s set up for an elegant dinner party.” Most importantly, they appreciate the courtyard “as another beautiful room that just happens to be outside.” In the end, she concludes, “It’s a family home, not a museum, and it feels alive every time you visit.”