Award-winning Alameda Queen Anne

Alameda A.W. Pattiani Queen Anne with its ROBA-designed façade restoration

This recently completed project in Alameda, CA  by Rynerson + O'Brien Architecture has just been awarded an Alameda Architectural Preservation Award.

Here is more about this fantastic house and what was done to revive it:

"This building is one of several remaining A.W. Pattiani houses in Alameda and Berkeley.  The house had been significantly altered by additions and expansions on its west and north elevations, by the removal of original ornament and by the application of wood shingles over original wood siding and previously ornamented surfaces. The west addition included a wraparound porch where none previously existed, covered by a squat, glass-roofed pergola supported on classical style columns.  The result of the cumulative changes was a house that was no longer recognizable as an A.W. Pattiani Queen Anne.

Queen Anne house façade before (left) and after restoration

"The current owners wanted to restore the character of A.W. Pattiani’s original design as well as specific Pattiani signature ornamental details to the property. They also needed to address serious water intrusion problems and the ensuing damage that had developed on the wraparound porch. It was not practical for the owners to consider giving up the previous addition and porch, but both additions were inconsistent with the original design and created massing challenges to restoring the main facade.

Pattiani-inspired details

"The solution to this dilemma was to restore the original portion of the structure as closely as possible based on existing Pattiani examples and historical photos, and to rebuild the deteriorated wraparound porch using a vocabulary more compatible with the original house.  This included adding a cupola that effectively conceals the awkward western addition while adding new ornament and massing in proportion to the original façade."  - Steve Rynerson

The house now sports original-style ornament and  a beautiful covered wraparound porch with many of the "gingerbread" details that A.W. Pattiani was known for. 

Interior of the new covered porch

Restoration and ornamental carpentry by Guild member Skeeter Jones / Clearheart Design.  Fellow Guild member Lynne Rutter collaborated with the owners to design the color scheme, adding a robin's egg blue/green ceiling to help showcase the covered porch. 

Interior of the porch under the new cupola

Exterior Painting and gilding by Olson's Painting, Alameda, CA.
Photos in this post by Steve Rynerson
more details at the Rynerson O'Brien blog.