An Old Home’s Stumbling Block Results In A Fresh Start
After spending a number of years in London, homeowner and designer Wendy Huck and her family returned to California and purchased an older house on a large, oak-studded property with the European idea of preserving the classic facade and creating a contemporary interior. Huck turned to architect Barbara Chambers to update the residence, but while studying the property, Chambers discovered a foundation composed of brick. In Northern California, this represents, quite literally, a number of stumbling blocks. “We’re in earthquake country, so an unstable masonry foundation is a big problem,” says Chambers. “Replacing it on top of remodeling the house would have cost as much as tearing down the building and constructing a new structure.”
