Cover Story, Home Section
November 1977

     Architect, George Hopkins prepared the plans for the renovation of Hardy B. Fowler's house at 5935 Coliseum St., which was completed in 1975.

     Hopkins says it was a typical shotgun double, 90 feet long and 30 feet wide. To fulfill the Fowlers' living needs, Hopkins divided the house into three 30-foot sections. The front section is the more formal area, containing a living room, dining room, and study. The rear section is composed of two bedroom suites. The four small rooms of the middle section were opened up, with cathedral ceilings, into one large space to accommodate various family activities.

     The room is both functional and artistic. Hopkins says it is easy to design functionally, but to introduce the element of design, an architect must relate the functional units to each other in an artistic way. The new is balanced with the old.

     The beautifully detailed wood floors, frames, large arched windows, as well as the six-inch-wide pine flooring were salvaged from a house under demolition. The kitchen island was constructed of old cypress doors and slate with a built-in range top. The walk-in pan- try for appliances and cooking utensils can be neatly closed off by doors lined with storage racks. The room provides a classic example of a space that works well for the living in the '70s.