This Old House

By Claire Miller

An almost 200-year-old farmhouse in Canal Winchester received a major restoration recently.

The seventh-generation owner wanted to update the functionality of the home, which was built in 1831, without compromising the character. The owner enlisted Anne Rogers Interiors (ARI) to take on the extensive project, which took 98 weeks of construction.

ARI removed a kitchen wall, dining room wall and a back shed attached to the home. It built an addition that made room for a banquette, new mudroom, first-floor bath and second-floor main suite.

The goal was to update and restore, ensuring that the new features felt authentic but had modern functionality. For example, existing hardware, such as doorknobs, was duplicated, as were structural features such as baseboards and the pillars encircling the front porch.

The home received a new, navy blue coat to create a cohesive color scheme inside and out. The wrap-around porch retained its original charm while composite columns replaced rotting wood columns.

To bring the home into 2023, the client needed a mudroom. It was incorporated into the back hallway also using reclaimed wood from the property. The wood plank wall in the mudroom is repurposed from an old fence.

The original layout lacked a dedicated main bedroom, bathroom and closet space. The only bathroom in the house was located on the second floor. Renovations included removal of the shed to make room for a new bathroom, pantry wall, mudroom, cellar staircase and a back porch.