In 2006, Bryan and Stephanie Bremer were like any first-time homeowners: elated, hopeful and brimming over with ideas.
You could also call them optimistic. The modest 1903 Victorian home they had purchased in San Luis Obispo was dilapidated and unlivable. Its lot was overrun with weeds, the foundation was crumbling, the fireplace missing, and its flimsy walls offered little protection from the elements. Still, the Bremers saw its potential.
Stephanies mother and stepfather, Debi and Jeff Briesacher, purchased the house in 2002. After plans to use it as an office for Debis relationship therapy practice fell through because of zoning restrictions, the house remained vacant for several years. Then, in 2006, the Briesachers offered to let the Bremers be co-owners.
%26#8220;We were just out of college and buying a house ourselves wasnt something we could afford,%26#8221; said Bryan, who is a graphic artist. %26#8220;It seemed like a perfect situation. We felt we could get a better house working with two parties.%26#8221;
The two couples hired San Luis Obispo architect Greg Wilhelm to map out the remodel, which they knew would be extensive. Their goal was to preserve elements of the historical character of the home, but make it livable and comfortable for the young couple.
One major issue: They needed more space. To augment the homes 900 square feet, they expanded the back wall, which enlarged the footprint of the house by 100 square feet. The addition of a second story expanded livable space to 1,750 square feet and took the house from two bedrooms and one bathroom to three bedrooms and three and a half baths.
Work commenced in the summer of 2006 and proceeded with some urgency; just a few months into the project, the couple discovered that they were expecting their first child.
%26#8220;It was a little hard being pregnant while building a home,%26#8221; recalled Stephanie, who was also occupied with her job as an elementary school teacher. %26#8220;I was very excited, emotional and anxious. I wanted the house to be done before the baby came.%26#8221;
With a firm deadline in place, Pacific General Contracting got under way with renovations that included moving the house 3 feet to enlarge the narrow driveway, re-pouring the concrete foundation and replacing nearly every material in the house.
To keep the look of the exterior true to the original structure, they milled new redwood siding to match the original siding. Some of that old siding was saved and used to build a desk and bookcase for a guest room. They were also able to preserve the homes bay window, originally a part of the dining room, which now accommodates the sink area of their kitchen.
Most of the time, however, the Bremers were not slaves to historical accuracy. Their style is traditional, with an updated, sophisticated edge. They opted for crown moldings, wide baseboards and dark wood floors that hint at the era of the home. Yet cathedral ceilings in the living room, recessed lighting, Silestone quartz composite countertops and stainless steel appliances confirm that this couple is firmly rooted in the 21st century.
Storage is another modern concept the family had to address. They made the most of the homes 1,750 square feet with clever design tricks. A small loft in babys nursery was claimed from the roof over the front porch. Two bedroom closets were enlarged into the structure of the house. A walk-in pantry was nestled into the space beneath their stairs.
Furnishing the house would not be an issue. Stephanies grandmother was born and raised in England and accumulated an array of traditional and vintage English furniture and d%26#233;cor. When she passed away two years ago, the Bremers were grateful to inherit much of it, including nearly all of their living room furniture and a collection of 1930s English tea cups that evoke warm child-hood memories for Stephanie.
Just a few weeks before the Bremers were ready to move in, their first child, Joshua, arrived %26#8212; five weeks early. It seemed that Bryan and Stephanie werent the only ones eager for their new home.
Now settled in, the family is already setting their sights on more projects: a new deck, a garage, perhaps a detached studio.
%26#8220;Were planning on being here for a really long time,%26#8221; said Bryan. %26#8220;Were raising a family here, and we feel were leaving a legacy for our kids.%26#8221;
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appliances,
cathedral ceilings,
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front porch,
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quartz,
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square feet,
stainless steel appliances,
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