Thoughtful addition doubles size of Kirkwood Victorian | Home & Garden
A view of the addition and new garage from a seating area in the corner of the backyard. Kelly’s grandfather made a few of the birdhouses hung on the side of the garage, and the others she purchased.
Two years after moving in, the Judges added this wraparound porch. The house had one when it was constructed, but it was removed before Kelly’s grandparents purchased the house. They looked at other historic homes in the area to design one that would be period appropriate.
Christian Gooden, Post-Dispatch
Kelly recently created this family photo gallery going up the staircase including generational photos from both her family and Pat’s.
Christian Gooden, Post-Dispatch
A friend of Pat’s used a door from the original, torn-down garage to create a custom, glass-topped dining table.
Christian Gooden, Post-Dispatch
Kelly’s great-grandmother bought this striking antique chandelier for her grandmother. It hangs above the dining room table.
Christian Gooden, Post-Dispatch
The kitchen is open to a new, comfortable family room surrounded by windows overlooking the beautifully landscaped yard. The windows pay homage to a sleeping porch that had to be removed for the addition.
Christian Gooden, Post-Dispatch
Windows on three sides fill the new master bedroom with light, while adjustable shades provide privacy and darkness when needed. The bedding is from Pottery Barn.
The formal living room in the front of the house remains much as it was when Kelly’s grandparents owned the home and includes numerous antiques such as the coffee table, which is an old cabbage cutter.
Christian Gooden, Post-Dispatch
For Kelly Judge, the charming Victorian in a Kirkwood historic district that she and husband Pat purchased in 2009 is more than a house — it is a huge part of her childhood. Built in 1883, the house previously belonged to her paternal grandparents. Growing up nearby, Kelly says, “I spent every weekend here playing with my cousins. All of our holidays were here. We had lots of spaghetti dinners here. It’s a really special house.”
Kelly Judge bought her grandparents Kirkwood home with her husband, Pat. Since then, they have doubled the size of the home, photographed on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, with an expansion and a new garage giving extra room for activities for them and their kids. Photos by Christian Gooden, [email protected]
Kelly’s grandmother was raised in Kirkwood and bought the house with her grandfather in 1963 for just $17,000. A third-generation Kirkwoodian, Kelly grew up in her parents’ home just a few minutes away. When she and Pat got married, her grandparents were still living in the house. “I told them that if it ever worked out, we’d love to buy it.”
As her grandparents aged, the home’s staircase became challenging for them. As fate would have it, a one-story ranch came up for sale just a couple of blocks down the street. When that opportunity presented itself, they knew the time was right and sold the house to Kelly and Pat. When they moved in, their son Quinn, now 14, was just 4 years old, and their daughter Abbey, now 11, was a newborn.
While Kelly’s grandfather passed away in 2016, her grandmother, who turns 95 this month, still lives up the street, and Kelly sees her every couple of days. Her uncle, cousin and dad all still live nearby, as does Pat’s mom, so the house remains the center of regular family gatherings.