Just Across the Way

When her dad purchased the house across the street, he gave Angela free creative rein.

For many years, this 1924 Craftsman bungalow, just across the street from the Fahls' home, was known as the neighborhood eyesore. “It was on the market for years and nobody wanted it,” Angela says. “The house was trashed.” Always passionate about reviving old homes, Angela set out to make the space a livable and lively bachelor pad for her father, Steve.

REFRESH & REVIVE

Major changes included opening the front porch, completely redoing the kitchen and transforming the stair landing into a second bathroom. Angela also switched up the main living spaces. Instead of having two side-by-side living areas with a separate dining room, she moved the dining area to the front room and transformed the former dining room into a keeping room.

A keeping room is usually a room within or right off the kitchen,” Angela says. “It’s very inviting; he has friends over and they can sit and visit.”

The kitchen, however, needed the most attention. “It was vile,” Angela says, “so we completely started over.” A woodworker himself, Steve laid the floors from wood that he and Angela found in an old closet. Combined with cabinets painted in Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore and brand-new appliances, the floors make the space feel rustic yet modern, much like the rest of the home. “I think [the kitchen] looks like it’s always been there, but it functions a thousand times better,” Angela says.

OLD & NEW

In the main living spaces, utilizing the original woodwork was a must. “The house was not taken care of, but nobody had touched a piece of the woodwork,” Angela says. Since her dad wouldn’t think of painting the original woodwork, Angela chose to highlight its beauty. “We went with the dark paint in two of the rooms, which I think makes the woodwork just explode,” Angela says, “and it still looks fresh and new.”

As a former history teacher and self-proclaimed picker, Angela’s dad loves old things, and his walls pay homage to his life and history, especially in those two bold rooms. “The walls are lined with everything,” Angela says. “I love that his house is collected and stays true to the character of the home and him, but it doesn’t look like a museum.”That’s a huge goal for Angela in everything she designs: using antiques in a way that doesn’t make the home look outdated.

When it came to furniture, Angela largely selected from what was around. “I pulled from what he had,” she said. Her dad also built the dining room table in both her house and his own. A black lantern-like light fixture hangs above the dining room table in the bungalow, a contrast to the sparkly chandelier in her own home. “I like that his stuff fits. It’s rustic and manly, but it works with the house,” she says.

|RIGHT| SWITCHEROO. This is the view from the front door. Angela decided to move the dining room here and use the former dining room as a keeping room.

|OPPOSITE, ABOVE LEFT AND ABOVE RIGHT| FRESH AIR. Angela and her dad made the decision to open up the once closed-in front porch. Now it’s a comfortable space to enjoy some fresh air.

FOR KEEPS. This is the “keeping room,” a small space for entertaining. For Angela, the dark walls make the original woodwork pop.

|ABOVE| BUILT BY DAD. Steve built this dining table, and it fits perfectly in the home. Above, a lantern light fixture is both modern and classic.

|BELOW RIGHT| OUT OF THE CLOSET. These massive windows let plenty of natural light into the completely renovated kitchen. While most of the home’s floors are original, these were laid by Angela’s dad with wood they found in an old closet.

|BELOW LEFT| GENTLEMEN ONLY. Wood floors and a perfectly placed vintage rug add warmth to this small bathroom.