Decatur Craftsman Restoration

The Project

Ninety Years of Good Bones

The bungalow on East Lake Drive was built in 1931 by a local builder who understood the Craftsman tradition — tapered columns, wide eave overhangs, exposed rafter tails, and a front porch that ran the full width of the house. Ninety years later, its bones were still sound. Its surfaces were not.

We approached the project as conservation rather than renovation. Where original materials survived — the old-growth fir porch posts, the built-in china cabinets, the picture-rail molding in every room — they were carefully repaired. Where they were gone, we fabricated replacements using the same species and profiles, sourcing reclaimed material where available.

The project also addressed a significant structural problem: decades of deferred foundation maintenance had allowed the rear of the house to settle nearly two inches. We lifted and releveled the structure, underpinned the rear foundation, and reframed one exterior wall before any finish work began. The bungalow now stands as straight as it did in 1931.