Blog by Beebe Cline, PREC*

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A Great Room Pays Homage to Ordinary Architecture

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Preservation is a key consideration when renovating a home that has architectural significance — a midcentury modern ranch or an early 20th century Craftsman, for example — but what about the less-noted homes or periods in architectural history? These dwellings may be less revered, but they nevertheless contribute to a community’s identity and reflect how people lived. Without them, something’s missing. 

When architect Murray Legge was hired to renovate a 1940s stick frame home in Austin, Texas, he took a somewhat uncommon approach: He didn’t add on to the home and he didn’t tear it down. “We really like stick framing construction,” Legge says. “There’s no obvious historic value, but it’s part of the fabric of what Austin is.”

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