They Didn’t Straighten Out This 1908 Attic, Every Awkward Angle Became Part of the Design
Steep gables, low roof slopes, deep dormers, plank walls, and uneven ceiling heights could have disappeared behind new framing during the renovation of Seven Gables. Designer Drake Partridge kept them exposed and made each room fit the existing attic.
Partridge submitted the project to Homedit through our Submit Your Work page. Built in 1908–1909 in Enterprise, Alabama, Seven Gables used virgin heart pine milled from the surrounding property. The Griffith family purchased the house in 2024 and began a preservation-led restoration.
The completed first phase covers the upstairs, where original pine floors, plank walls, and asymmetrical rooflines remain alongside new wallpaper, paneling, tile, brass fixtures, and furnishings.
White Plank Walls Show the Attic Before the Renovation
White-painted planks cover the walls and ceiling in Cass’s room, exposing each shift in the roof structure. The main space narrows toward a dormer, while several ceiling planes meet at different heights.
New framing could have created straight walls and a flat ceiling at the cost of usable space and original material. The project kept the plank construction, pine floors, slopes, and asymmetry.
The adjoining area shows more of the attic’s irregular plan. A closet occupies a tall section, doorways fit beneath changing ceiling heights, and the bathroom extends beneath another roof slope.
Those existing boundaries remained part of the upstairs plan instead of being rebuilt into uniform rectangular rooms.
Plaid Wallpaper Runs Across the Sloped Ceiling
Plaid wallpaper covers both vertical and sloped surfaces in Cass’s finished room. Its straight grid makes the roof angles more visible rather than masking them.
Dark paneling covers the lower walls and forms a wide frame around the dormer window. A brass wall light extends above the window, and a Roman shade sits inside the dark surround.
The plaid continues across the bedroom and into the large dormer opening. Dark paneling follows the lower walls, changing height where the roof descends.
The bed occupies the full-height portion of the room, while a low dresser fits beneath one of the slopes. Furniture placement preserves access to the dormer instead of treating it as leftover floor space. The project identifies the roofline, plaid, dark paneling, and deep dormer as defining parts of this room.
Narrow Room Keeps Its Low Roofline
Cooper’s room has a narrow floor plan with roof slopes descending from both sides. The renovation keeps that full cross-section visible.
A metal bed fits beneath the center ridge where headroom peaks. Small framed artwork uses the vertical wall around the window, leaving the sloped surfaces clear. The project describes the room as a collection of tucked spaces created within the existing attic footprint.
Original Heart-Pine Floors Remain Underfoot
Narrow floorboards run from wall to wall beneath the steep ceiling. Seven Gables was built from heart pine harvested from the property, and its original pine floors survived the upstairs restoration.
The restoration team tested floor finishes to restore color without making the boards resemble new flooring. Joints, grain variation, and marks remain visible beneath the dark finish.
Dormer Gains a Sitting Area Without Changing Its Shape
A steep ceiling drops toward the guest-room dormer, creating a narrow space around the window. Plank walls and pine flooring continue into the recess.
The finished dormer keeps the same footprint. A low upholstered chair fits beside the window, while a compact cabinet occupies the opposite side. Both pieces stay beneath the descending roofline without blocking the window or passage.
Historic-inspired equestrian wallpaper covers the main guest room, adding pattern within the small footprint while retaining the original attic proportions.
Bathroom Uses the Roof Slope Instead of Boxing It In
A steep roof plane descends beside the bathtub, while the adjacent wall provides enough height for a double vanity. A long ebonized cabinet supports two vessel sinks beneath separate arched mirrors.
Brass faucets, sconces, mirror frames, and tub hardware connect both sections. The vanity occupies the full-height portion rather than forcing cabinetry beneath the roof slope.
Square handmade tile covers the tub surround and continues onto the angled ceiling above it. The slope remains exposed instead of being boxed into a vertical wall.
A recessed niche fits into the taller back wall, while the showerhead sits near the highest point at the opposite end. The project specifies handmade tile, warm brass, and an ebonized vanity as new materials introduced around the bathroom’s irregular envelope.
The upstairs marks the first completed phase at Seven Gables. Future work will address the downstairs while continuing the same preservation approach. In the attic, that decision kept the original pine, dormers, roof slopes, and asymmetrical rooms visible more than a century after the house was built.