Historic 1880’s Farmhouse Renovation

We were tasked with the honor of respectfully updating this historically registered home which was originally built in the late 1800s.  The current homeowners had been painstakingly tackling cosmetic issues of paint and damaged trim over the years, but had been unable to figure out how to reimagine the awkward dated rooms into a space that functioned for a contemporary lifestyle while honoring the history.  The challenge was an exciting and welcome one for our team.

The clients are avid cooks and like to cook together.  They requested a space that would accommodate their entire family and provide a space where multiple people could prep and cook together.  Additionally, they have a large collection of vintage cast iron cookware that needed to be stored.  They also had an heirloom dining room table that they wanted to keep in the space.  The home was also lacking a functional laundry room.  As avid campers they wanted a place that they could hang wet equipment to dry.

We made the decision early on to remove the large fireplace that overwhelmed the entire space and was awkwardly situated.  The fireplace was not original to the home and losing it provided more opportunity to reimagine the space into one that functioned for the family’s needs.  The bathroom was tiny, with uncomfortably low ceilings.  While used every day it was far from the bedrooms and the living space.  By moving the bathroom we were able to create a much better flow for day to day living.  We used hickory floors throughout which felt appropriate to the time the house was built and added to the ‘farmhouse’ charm the home carries with it.  One of the original windows from the home was reframed into an interior wall as a nostalgic detail.

To create the desired laundry area we created an addition to the home.  This newly built space gave the homeowner a beautiful, long laundry area that allows them to clean and store their outdoor equipment.

Additionally we had to have all exterior changes approved by the historic review board.  We researched archived images of the house to recreate the window frames to match the originals which have heightened the curb appeal of the home.

The finished home exceeded all of the client’s expectations and wishes giving them all of the modern functionality they wanted while preserving the history they loved.