Original Features Preserved:
Doors and Windows
Intricate Hardware
Wood Floors
Trim, Beadboard
Vintage Green Tiles
This renovation will most likely remain my most memorable not only because of what we started with, but also because of all of the beautiful and intricate details that were uncovered. From the detailed door hardware to the scrolls above the front porch, this historic home is full of elegant and timeless features and character throughout, and was an honor to restore.
Hear more about this home's history by reading The Story then look through our beautiful pictures in The Gallery and then scroll down to our Sources and Links section to get inspired and get shopping!
Where to begin with this renovation? If I could pick one house that I've always wanted to work on, it would be definitely be this one. This home sat vacant and neglected for approximately 15 years after the last owners moved out. During those years of vacancy, the front porch had slowly but surely started to fall in and the back middle portion of the house had an enormous hole in the roof causing everything below to come to ruins. However, you couldn't actually see any of that damage from the street because of the overgrown yard so it became a bit of an eyesore. After years of vacancy, the owners sold the house to a young couple who had hoped to renovate the house to live in themselves. Proving to be a bit more of a challenge than they expected, a year later they were ready to sell and I was first in line despite everyone thinking I was crazy. They should already know I am.
The renovation took us almost nine months to complete and was in the worst shape of any home I had worked on previously. Picking up where the young couple left off, we moved forward with the open concept for the kitchen and dining room but were able to rework the space to incorporate a walk-in pantry. In the middle of the home we took part of a very large third bedroom and were able to carve out a spacious guest bathroom and an entry way to the master suite which also got reworked. The back are that had so much damage from the hole in the roof had to be completely gutted down to a new floor joist system so we reworked that space too to get a private master bathroom and closet and a small laundry room. The remaining rooms in the house stayed in tact in terms of floor plans and we were able to save much of the trim and plaster walls. The entire house received new plumbing, electrical, HVAC, paint, and refinished hardwood floors and a few rooms were painted dark rich tones to add a little drama. And speaking of drama, after the exterior landscape was cleared and repairs were made to the exterior including essentially rebuilding the front porch, the exterior was painted black with white trim and a soft shade of pink for the doors. Like I said, drama, but in the best way possible.
While this renovation was one of the hardest, it's also the most memorable. The opportunity to restore a charming and somewhat majestic historic home like this doesn't come along that often and I took that responsibility to heart. We restored as any original details as possible and with the new spaces we created, we worked hard to honor the time period in which this beauty was built. It is always bittersweet saying goodbye to a house my team and I put our hearts and souls into but it's also incredibly rewarding to pass it along to the new owners so that they can make it their own. It was a preservation opportunity of a lifetime.
This one-story Queen Anne house features a wrap-around porch with spindle porch posts and a hipped roof; it is cross gabled with a large front gable; a small gable within the large gable has cut-out ornamentation. A carriage stone is in place at the end of the front walk.
William B. Coffin, a cotton broker, built the house.
Excerpt from Hampton Heights of Spartanburg: Its History, Houses, and People by Vivian B. Fisher
This simple but elegant chandelier comes in different sizes perfect for any space.
Another lighting staple with vintage vibes in my favorite finish.
A beautiful replica of an old gas lantern perfect for any historic home.
The copper patina works well for a mix of metals in any kitchen.
This sets the stage for a sophisticated art gallery or library.
Simple and elegant wall sconces paired with Edison bulbs.
In hopes of inspiring and helping you with design selections for your home, we have included sources and links for each space in this home. We hope you'll enjoying exploring ways to add some old house character into your home.
The beautiful front door with unique details is like nothing I have seen before. We stripped several layers of paint off and then finished it off with this beautiful shade of blush pink. The turn doorbell is original and still works and we used an original door knob and plate in the pretty copper tones to match the inside. All siding, windows and trim are original as well.
Walls: Black (off the shelf) in satin
Trim: SW Extra White in gloss
Door: Valspar Semi-Precious in semi-gloss
Porch Floors: Valspar HGSW3472 Avaitrix
The original tiles surrounding the fireplace had been painted blue and the firebox bricked in. We busted out the bricks and resurfaced the firebox and then carefully removed the paint off the tiles then cleaned before reinstalling them. We also found an antique fireplace cover under the house but with no grate or fireplace surround, we simply painted it black and propped up in the back to display it's beautiful details.
Walls: Black (off the shelf) in flat
The small double doors that lead to the side porch were in great shape. They simply needed a little sanding and a fresh coat of black satin paint to make them stand out. The original door hinges and locks were stripped of layers of paint which revealed the beautiful and intricate details underneath in a gorgeous copper tone.
Much like the foyer, the fireplace tiles had been painted over so once removed it revealed original subway tiles. The fireplace cover and grate were also in good shape so a fresh coat of black paint did the trick.
Walls: SW Extra White in flat
Once we removed the paneling in the dining room, it revealed the pattern where the original board and batten had once been. We did our best to replicate that detail throughout the dining room and extended the top trim piece around the kitchen for continuity. We also kept the fireplace mantel and decorative firebox.
Walls: Benjamin Moore Blue Note
Cabinets: Benjamin Moore Blue Note
We then cleaned up the original bedbaord that was along the bottom of the kitchen and reinstalled it as the new kitchen backsplash. A few wood pegs were added in addition to the beautiful custom range hood and we finished off the space with white subway tiles with gray grout.
This back hallway wall was reworked in order the create a new guest bathroom, laundry room, and an entrance to a private master suite. In doing so, we were able to use an original door found around the house and reincorporate it as a pocket door by building the back hall wall out. This left room for a beautiful gallery wall with this deep shade of green that compliments the original tile from the foyer.
Feature Wall: HGSW 3251 Coriander
Walls: SW Extra White in flat
Walls: HGSW 3251 Coriander
Master Bedroom Walls: SW Extra White in flat
Guest Bedroom Walls: HGSW Basalt Powder
The front and middle bedrooms both had original fireplaces in tact and while they are no longer safe to use with burning wood, they do remain beautiful focal points for those two rooms. We cleaned up the surrounds and mantels and repainted, and then added vintage inspired tiles that complimented the fireboxes well.
THINK WE MAY BE A GOOD FIT?
Our ideal clients believes that historic homes are worth saving and are willing to invest the extra time and money to not only renovate the home, but also to preserve it. If you feel that way and are ready to get started on yours, let's talk.
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