Twenty chickens cluck and roam where cement once filled the backyard of Andy McKeegan’s home in Kirkwood. The chickens live in a coop that matches the 1922 Craftsman house.
“They’ve got a big old run,” he said. “They’ve got a big old coop right next to it that’s painted to match my house. It’s legit.”
Credit: Text by Marena Galluccio/ Photos by Christopher Oquendo
Credit: Text by Marena Galluccio/ Photos by Christopher Oquendo
The backyard redo is among $100,000 in renovations to the two-bedroom, two-bath bungalow, which will be on the Kirkwood Spring Fling and Tour of Homes on May 19-20. It will be McKeegan's first tour of homes.
“I put almost the entirety of last year into renovating this house,” he said. “I’m just going to show it off.”
Snapshot
Residents: Andy McKeegan, a real estate agent for Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Intown
Location: Kirkwood, DeKalb County
Size: 1,200 square feet, two bedrooms, two baths
Year built and bought: 1922/2013
Architectural style: Craftsman bungalow
Favorite architectural elements: Cedar shake, clapboard siding, window muntins and original brick molding
Renovations: The $100,000 in renovations span the interior, exterior and yard. The wall between the kitchen and dining room was removed, and the kitchen was completely renovated. The French doors were moved back to their original position (between the living room and dining room) and six original panel doors were refinished. Built-in bookcases were added around the living room fireplace, which was converted from coal to wood burning. The master bathroom makeover brought it back to its 1920s look with features such as an antique-style vanity. All of the original hardwood floors were refinished. Outside, he stripped off asbestos siding, redid the wood clapboard, painted the exterior, relandscaped the yard by removing concrete and built the chicken run and coop.
Contractor: Kara O'Brien Renovations
Favorite renovation: When McKeegan purchased the house, there was a step up into the kitchen. When the pine floors and underlying yellow linoleum were torn out, he found the original heart of pine floors. Instead of replacing them, he salvaged them and Kara O'Brien restored them. Throughout the renovation process, that was probably the most exciting "little discovery," he said.
Interior design style: Vintage country chic
Favorite piece of furniture: The 19th-century ice chest that is used as a bar.
Favorite outdoor feature: The front porch
Resources: Appliances by Samsung and KitchenAid. Furniture from Kudzu Antiques + Modern. Paint by Sherwin-Williams.
Tip: When adding a backyard structure, like a chicken coop or shed, copy the house colors for a cohesive look. McKeegan used the same colors on the exterior of his home for his chicken coop. Both are white with matching red doors.
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