6 QUESTIONS

It was the architecture and the charm. The first time I walked into the house it was a diamond in the rough. There were unique features that I could not walk into a building supply or home improvement center and purchase new. I knew that a house that was 154 years old would last a lifetime rather than just for a mortgage. I envisioned what the house looked like back then and not the condition it was currently in. The house had survived the elements, natural disasters and many other things long before me or several generations of my family was born. I wanted to bring it back to life. It was too grand to let it fade into the past. I wanted to preserve it for many other generations to come.

One of the main things was it had never been remodeled or upgraded since its original 1890 Victorian makeover. The house still had many of its original features. I loved the front entry with the marble steps, and the fireplaces with unique mantels with encaustic tile. The house had the original plaster walls that had never been painted, only covered with wallpaper. It had the original hardwood floors and plaster moldings that had survived throughout time.

You try to save as much of the original features as possible. If you remove all of the unique features it erases the historical charm of the house. You have to try and blend the new repairs to the original features. You don’t want anything to look repaired. You want everything to look as it was originally supposed to be. With newer homes it is easier because you can create any style rather than trying to duplicate a historic home’s original style. It took alot of research. Sometimes I wouldn’t know the proper name or reason for something until I researched it. Historic homes have many features not seen in modern construction.

My family and I lived in the house through the 14-month restoration process. There were many challenges. We moved in late winter and had no heat. I remember we all laughed about it. The plumbing failed about three weeks later. We went three months without a fully operational kitchen while it was being restored. We moved all of our possessions from room to room as the work was being completed due to fear that everything would be ruined from the dust and debris. One of the bathrooms didn’t have a floor. Finding specific items needed was difficult. There were many trips to architectural salvage dealers hoping to find an exact match of something that was in better condition than what you had. The most difficult part was the amount of work it needed. Every room needed major repairs. I spent every night and weekend working on a project. If I was lucky I would get 4 hours sleep a night. It made for a long, tiring 14 months.

I feel at home. In the beginning many people were watching and I didn’t even realize it. As the project progressed people would stop to cheer us on and offer encouragement. It has made me appreciate the wonderful people in my small town. There was so much relief when it was complete, but truly it will never be complete. The house will always be a work in progress. Something will always need to be done. There will always be preventive maintenance. The plaster will crack and need to be repaired. The paint will chip and need to be touched up. But I know the major work is behind me. I can now concentrate on the things I would like to do and not what has to be done.

Most definitely, just for the thrill of it. I have always dreamed of having a big, historic house. Not because it is fancy, but because I appreciate the rich history that comes with it. Plus, as a family of 6 we needed the space. Each historic house tells a story. It is exciting to watch the story unfold as the house is brought back to life. Although, I would want to take my time, and not have to work to meet a deadline.

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