Elizabeth Colton Walls

When it comes to buying a home, a good imagination is as important as a down payment.

Unfortunately, most of us have difficulty imagining the potential in a quirky, dated, or just plain awful house.

That’s where the advice of an experienced architect such as my friend Sharon Pigott (a/k/a the house doctor)  is invaluable. She can help you see the beyond the flaws to create a truly custom home. 

I asked Sharon to tell us about one of her recent home “cases.” 

Homes, like people, experience physical ailments. Many older homes in Nashville suffer from closed- in spaces, lack of flow, small rooms, inadequate storage space, dysfunctional kitchens, and tiny bathrooms.

 Few things satisfy me more than healing such a house. Some call me the house doctor, and unlike most doctors, I make house calls!

DIAGNOSIS

 This home suffered from several painful symptoms:

• Underused tiny, dark entry
• Unappealing flat-roofed wings
• Closed- in kitchen
• Small bedrooms 
• No covered parking
• 

TREATMENT

 A new entry wing closer to the guest parking area creates flow to both the living room and the dining room and allows for a new staircase to the second floor.

At the top of the stairs is a common area used for TV watching. A gabled roof over the left side wing creates a spacious child’s bedroom. The existing dormers are widened, and exterior now has a French flair.

RECOVERY

Here is the end result of the corrective surgery.

 Home buyers, have you seen a house that you think has potential, but you’re not sure? Call Sharon and let her help you imagine the possibilities. 615.297.0123

Sharon