An Old North Knoxville Historic Victorian Gets An Attic Sanctuary

Friday, August 30th, 2019

A couple in Old North Knoxville’s historic district had been facing a dilemma. They adored their 1909 Victorian home, but after their son was born the home’s layout felt more squeezed on space. The homeowner explained, “We love to entertain and throw dinner parties, but since the house and all of its bedrooms were on one floor, it was making staying up after our toddler’s bedtime with friends or to watch a movie together very difficult without disturbing him.” The young couple had considered moving to another neighborhood or a different home, but they kept coming back to how much they adored their turn-of-the-century home, and their neighbors. Plus, with cozy cafes, great shops, and a park within walking distance—not to mention downtown Knoxville just a couple miles away—they wanted to stay put.

Fortunately, they had a good idea of how to do so, but they weren’t sure if what they had in mind would be possible given Knoxville’s Historic Zoning Commission’s requirements for residential renovations. “We knew that our attic had generous space with its steep roof pitch, and ideally we wanted to renovate that attic space into two bedrooms—a master suite for us big enough for a king bed, and a bedroom with ideally a bathroom ensuite for our son,” the homeowner said. Recent health issues further inspired the couple to envision the renovated attic space as a light and airy peaceful sanctuary, ideally with skylights. “However, we live in Old North Knoxville, a historic district that requires approval for any changes to the exterior appearance to a house, so we didn’t know if this would even be possible,” the homeowner explained. “Plus, we wanted to avoid adding dormer windows, which would explode the cost of the project, and which also would be unlikely to pass muster with Knoxville’s Historic Zoning Commission, (HZC).”

Choosing McCamy To Meet Tough Historic Zoning Rules

The homeowners figured that it they were going to renovate, they wanted to optimize the feel and function of the home as much as possible. “We wanted our bedroom suite to include a good-size closet, given that we only had one bedroom closet deep enough for a normal-sized hanger,” the homeowner explained. Plus, they thought it would be ideal to add a playroom space downstairs for all of their son’s toys rather than having them scattered through every room of the house. In addition, undergoing construction in the attic opened up the opportunity to add more lighting to the downstairs ceiling since, like most Victorians, their home tended to be darker than they’d prefer. The attic renovation would allow for adding wiring and pancake lights that are thin enough to fit within the existing downstairs ceiling. After considering other local residential construction companies, the homeowners chose to work with McCamy Construction after being impressed with two distinct benefits—or rather, two of McCamy’s team members. “The reason that we hired McCamy was first because of Grant McMahan’s excellent initial design thoughts for the attic space, which basically started as a napkin sketch,” the homeowner said. “We had to go through several iterations of the initial design in order to fit two beds, two baths, and a master closet upstairs, but McCamy made it happen.” She added, “We also were impressed that McCamy had Ashley Jones, a dedicated designer, on staff. We knew from previous renovations that design selections can be overwhelming and difficult to manage as a homeowner. We knew it would be a huge advantage to have her help us, and it was!”

After the attic sanctuary design had been perfected on paper, the homeowners needed to gain approval of Knoxville’s Historic Zoning Commission. The homeowner said, “McCamy was super helpful in drawing up the packet that we had to present to the HZC for their approval before we could proceed with construction.” She added, “The project needed the extra help of a structural engineer, Mary French-Ewers, to make sure our house could bear the extra weight of the attic addition. On top of coordinating that, McCamy was able to come up with some solutions, like flat profile Solar Tubes, for example, that were less conspicuous on the exterior of our home. All of this helped us earn the Historic Zoning Commission’s approval.”

A Historic Home Transformed

While the process required a few months of construction, the homeowners feel that the time and process was well worth the outcome. “We’ve just moved into the attic space and need to add our artwork and decorative touches, but we already keep on pinching ourselves because we feel like we’re staying in a hotel room upstairs with a spa bathroom!” Meanwhile, the homeowner reported that their son enjoys working on crafts and playing with his toys in the new downstairs playroom for hours on end. “Plus, once he’s in bed for the evening we can finally have dinner parties and stay up past 9 p.m., without having to whisper in our home,” she said.

From master suites and guest rooms to screened-in porch areas or outdoor entertaining additions, McCamy has the experience and expertise to expand your living space to match your lifestyle and vision. We take into account the way your home looks, feels, and functions to envision the big picture perspective as we draft your designs. We’ll even obtain the permits and variances—including assisting with proposals required for historic zoning renovations—so that your dream becomes reality. Whether you are considering a home renovation or building a custom home, the team at McCamy Construction is inspired by creating custom solutions for each homeowner. Take a look at some of our other projects on our website and blog, or follow us on Facebook to see progress on exciting projects we’re working on! Whatever your dream may be, we can build it and we would love to meet with you. Schedule your consultation by filling out this form or give us a call at (865) 247-7068.