A HISTORIC RENOVATION & RESTORATION

Bridging the Gap of Historic and Modern | Savannah, Georgia

Restoration is comparable to archaeological excavation, requiring the careful removal of successive layers of occupancy to reveal the underlying original structure.

The Dilemma: The property owners had outgrown their existing workspace and were operating across multiple offices, creating inefficiencies and limiting collaboration. They needed a larger, unified location that would accommodate their growing team while remaining close to downtown Savannah.

The Solution: the purchase of a 125 year old historic home in the Thomas Square Neighborhood of downtown Savannah Ga.

To meet the firm’s operational requirements, a full renovation was necessary; however, the design had to thoughtfully integrate modern conveniences and updated design while preserving the property’s historic character and architectural integrity.

Research revealed that the home was originally designed for Grace Dasher, who commissioned the prominent Savannah architect Hyman Witcover for the project.

Years of renovations and modifications left the building with a mix of styles. It had original features from the early 1900s alongside elements from a late 1930s update, a commercial school conversion, and most recently an office.

The original curved ceiling details

A sealed door and exposed pipes

The outdated kitchen

An old chalkboard and another sealed door

A sink and non-period beadboard wainscot

Exposed framing creating a crowded feel

The first step was to strip away layers of renovation and remove later additions that didn’t align with the home’s original design. We began by carefully removing sealed, obsolete doors, various period mantels, original wainscoting in areas where walls were being opened up, and assorted casing and trim. The materials were organized and stored in a back room for future reuse during the reconstruction process.

During the demo process, we uncovered clues about the home’s history. One was what appears to be the date of its earliest renovation, written on the back of one of the mantels we removed. Another came when we took out built-in cabinetry in an upstairs bath, revealing that the home’s trims were tiger oak that was originally unpainted. The unpainted casing was in beautiful condition, and the ray-flecking, a ribbon-like grain pattern in the wood, glowed in the light.

Material storage for reuse

The dated mantel

Unpainted tiger oak revealed

Removal of more beadboard wainscot

Removal of the non-period sink and cabinet

Demo of the attic area

New walls and stored doors for reuse

Restoring the original wainscot

Using an orginal wall recess for a new cabinet

New walls for additional offices

Replacing aportion of missing wainscot

New walls placed to allow orignal trim to remain

Each room was restored to closely reflect its original condition, with the new design thoughtfully integrated to support modern convenience and functionality.