The house had been built in three stages beginning in 1780, followed by a mid-19th century addition and then a 1980’s extension to the rear. This had caused cumulative structural and overall coherence problems, including an alarming bowing on the facade and little thermal retention.

The rotted exterior planking and gravel insulation was removed and replaced with Hardie Board over modern insulation. A new support beam corrected a torque that had developed between the two halves of the house built some 80 years apart. New windows, shutters and a newly built, period-appropriate portico finished out the facade.

The house was built on a steep slope with charming grounds and natural pathways through the seasonal ferns. At the rear was a private courtyard and entrance into the kitchen which unfortunately was made unwelcoming by a drab and rotted awning, broken windows, and rotted siding.

New copper-roofed porticos, updated windows and new siding were installed to crisply define and protect the house. Old trellises were removed to sharpen the lines of the house and provide contrast with the abundant ferns and meandering brick pathways.

The kitchen was part of the 1980’s addition and was generously proportioned but lacked definition. Built-in cabinets had been stained haphazardly, the floors were badly worn, the windows were painted shut, and the overall effect made the space look tired, cluttered, dirty, and unappetizing.

The millwork was restored and painted, and the flooring refinished. The windows were restored to functionality, a new kitchen sink and other appliances were replaced, and the space was brought into the 21st C. A long kitchen table defined an informal dining area/family zone.

The original 18th C living space had hand-hewn beams and the original wooden ceiling that were too dark with soot and nicotine staining to see or appreciate. The fireplace was missing its mantle and the plaster was crumbling. The windows were in disrepair, the baseboard heaters were broken, and the floors were badly worn down.

The ceiling beams and boards were cleaned of decades of soot and nicotine, the ancient plaster was restored, the mantle rebuilt, windows restored to functionality, and the floorboards were refinished. The original 18th century deeds to the house — written in quill-penned cursive on parchment— were located and framed on the wall, never to be separated from the property again.

The dining room was dark and dirty. A badly damaged chimney breast gaped open, the original plaster work had crumbled and been repaired incorrectly, the lighting was inadequate, the windows broken, and the floors were in need of repair.

The chimney was repaired and a new mantle built in its place. The plaster was properly restored, the windows made functional, floors refinished, heaters and lighting were replaced.

The master bedroom was part of the 1980’s addition to the house and had a promisingly large footprint, and windows on three sides, but a large built in wardrobe forced the bed into a position without a view, the floors were thin plywood that had sagged, covered in stained carpet. An unattractive textured brown wall finish made the room feel cave-like, and awkward pillars had been added that were ahistorical and badly proportioned.

Another angle on the original master bedroom.

The carpets were removed, subfloors replaced, and wide-plank pine floorboards were installed and stained to match the historical portion of the house’s original flooring. The built in wardrobe was removed allowing the bed to face the forest view. The walls were retextured and painted, the windows restored to functionality, and the room painted to feel light, bright, airy, and clean. A real retreat.

After revisions the room was a place for dreams, not nightmares.

The master bath was painted caramel brown with matching lineolum floors and a decades-old contractor grade vanity that was rotted from the inside out. The shower was enclosed in a stained plastic enclosure and the room lacked storage, lighting, and comfort.

Carrera marble tile and fresh wainscotting created a bright new space with a large, elegant walk-in shower and a new pedestal sink that were appropriate to the era of the house (at least to the era when bathrooms were added to 18th C houses). New cabinetry increased storage capacity. What had been a depressing room became inviting and luxurious.

The second bathroom had an awkwardly situated and rotten vanity cabinet in front of the window. The cast-iron bathtub was stained with mineral deposits and had a “shower” consisting of a garden hose dangling from the ceiling joists. Overhead beams were dark and gave the room an unfinished, cluttered appearance.

The vanity cabinet was replaced with a pedestal sink, and a new medicine cabinet and train rack provided storage. The original bathtub was restored with a new bottom coating and new porcelain, equipped with a quality tub filler and shower sprayer, and relieved of its garden hose. Not visible in this photo is a beautiful Moravian star light hung above the beams that gave the room a fairy tale charm and pleasant dimmable lighting for long soaks.