4 Things We Learned From Restoring Our Historic ’70s Home on Fire Island

Many homeowners, when faced with an older property, instinctively consider significant renovations to modernize it. This often involves replacing original architectural elements with contemporary, off-the-shelf items from large hardware stores. However, this approach can inadvertently diminish the home's historic value and unique character, sometimes even leading to a decrease in its overall worth. The inclination to follow current trends, while seemingly an 'improvement,' risks making the home feel dated in a short span, typically within a decade, as design fads evolve rapidly. Conversely, a more sustainable and value-preserving strategy for updating older homes centers on authentic restoration and careful integration of modern conveniences. This method prioritizes maintaining the home's original aesthetic and structural integrity, recognizing that its age and inherent architectural details are valuable assets. Rather than tearing out and replacing, the focus shifts to repairing, refinishing, and subtly upgrading components to enhance comfort and efficiency without sacrificing historical accuracy. Key areas where this principle applies include cabinetry, plumbing fixtures, flooring, and interior walls. For instance, instead of replacing solid wood cabinets with cheaper, less durable materials like melamine or MDF, stripping and refinishing the existing wood is recommended. This not only preserves the original quality and appearance but also proves more cost-effective and long-lasting. Similarly, rather than installing a new fiberglass Jacuzzi tub, refinishing an old porcelain bathtub is a more authentic and economical choice. Original wood floors, even those appearing severely damaged, can almost always be refinished and patched, retaining their historic charm and structural soundness, which is preferable to covering them with modern, inferior tiles or carpet. When it comes to surfaces like tile, a thorough cleaning can often restore their appearance, eliminating the need for replacement. For countertops, selecting materials that were available during the home's construction era, such as butcher block, marble, or certain types of ceramic tile (for homes built after 1930), helps maintain authenticity. Man-made materials like laminate or Corian, or overly modern elements like glass tiles, are generally discouraged as they clash with the historical context. Open-concept floor plans, a popular contemporary trend, are often ill-suited for older homes. Knocking down walls can disrupt the original layout and flow, potentially diminishing the home's character. Homeowners are advised to live in the house for at least six months before considering structural changes to understand its natural rhythm and how spaces are best utilized. Windows and doors, crucial to a home's historic value, should also be repaired and weather-stripped for efficiency rather than replaced. Adding historically accurate storm windows can further improve energy performance while preserving the original facade. This philosophy of thoughtful preservation ensures that older homes remain comfortable, functional, and aesthetically pleasing, all while honoring their unique past and long-term value. #HomeRenovation #HistoricHomes #HomeImprovement #AuthenticRestoration #Preservation #InteriorDesign #NicoleCurtis #HomeValue #RenovationTips

The article details a Brooklyn homeowner's experience renovating the neglected back terrace of his 1882 Bed-Stuy brownstone. This project, undertaken during the pandemic, transformed the outdoor space into a functional and aesthetically pleasing extension of the home, specifically connected to the kitchen via a NanaWall glass folding-door system. The renovation addressed an initial oversight from the main house renovation, where budget constraints prevented the terrace from being updated. The project exceeded its initial $15,000 budget by about 50 percent, a common occurrence in renovations. This 'project scope creep' included additions like a mini-fridge, which necessitated dedicated electrical wiring and extra outlets for outdoor lighting and electronics, adding approximately $1,000 to costs. Despite the increased expense, the author notes the high value of outdoor space in New York City, especially post-pandemic, citing a real estate broker's estimation that the new terrace could increase the home's market value by $75,000, suggesting a significant return on investment. A key design choice was the installation of hardwood floating deck tiles from DeckWise, specifically 20-inch-square ipe tiles costing $3,000. This floating system offers a sleek, high-end look and practical benefits, as tiles can be easily lifted to address potential leaks, a past issue for the home. While the diagonal arrangement of these tiles to mimic the kitchen's parquet floor added about $1,000 in labor costs for intricate cuts, it enhanced the visual integration of the indoor and outdoor spaces. Other small design changes, such as replacing concrete finials with bluestone caps and simplifying the railing design, contributed to a more refined aesthetic, allowing the railing to recede and providing functional surfaces for entertaining. The use of natural hardwood tiles, while visually appealing and matching the interior floors, requires annual cleaning and sealing to maintain their rich color, unlike lower-maintenance synthetic decking materials. A significant splurge was a $10,000 professional-grade DCS gas grill and matching fridge. The grill, built with heavy-duty stainless steel, is durable enough for year-round outdoor exposure and includes features like built-in LEDs and a rotisserie burner. The accompanying soapstone countertop on the fridge provides a useful work surface. To enhance privacy from neighboring terraces, the renovation included built-in planters, clad in the same ipe tiles as the deck. These planters, filled with ornamental grasses, flowering plants, and evergreen shrubs by a garden expert, create a living privacy screen that adds year-round color and interest. The total cost for the plantings was about $700. Given the south-facing orientation of the terrace, shade was a crucial consideration. An automated awning, featuring Para Tempotest fabric with a striped pattern, was installed to provide protection from the sun, making the space usable during hot summer months. The awning also serves as a design element, with its fabric matching the chaise lounge cushions. Storage solutions were incorporated with a five-foot-long storage bench, faced with ipe deck tiles, situated under the NanaWall window. This bench provides a discreet space for gardening tools, cleaning supplies, and other items, reducing clutter and offering additional seating for guests. Finally, the homeowner emphasized the importance of proper scale for outdoor furniture. Collaborating with RH Interior Design, which offered free consultations, led to the selection of a 48-inch round dining table, an appropriate size for the space and family's needs, paired with existing antique chairs and a matching chaise lounge. The furniture cost approximately $4,000. The renovation's most profound lesson was the enhanced connection to nature, even when indoors, demonstrating the terrace's successful integration as an extension of the living space. #TerraceRenovation #BrownstoneLiving #OutdoorSpaceDesign #NYCRealEstate #HomeImprovement #DesignArchitecture #FloatingDeckTiles #OutdoorKitchen #GardenDesign

This article details the comprehensive renovation of a historic 1894 officer's quarters on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, undertaken by Donivon and Anne Glassburn. The project aimed to retain the home's historic aesthetic while integrating modern amenities and design. A significant aspect of the renovation involved carefully dismantling and then reusing 200-year-old oak boards from the original structure, which were milled into floorboards for the second level, creating a sense of continuity with the ground floor's reclaimed wood. This approach contributed to the home's perceived 'soul,' as noted by interior designer Allison Elebash. Architect Beau Clowney was instrumental in designing a 900-square-foot addition that harmonized with the original structure's scale and details. This addition primarily created an open living space at the back of the house, featuring steel doors that open to a pool area, envisioned by the Glassburns as a private resort. Elebash's interior design strategy focused on bridging the old and new elements through classic finishes, sculptural furniture, durable fabrics suitable for a coastal environment, and the strategic display of the family's modern art collection. The renovation emphasized creating a sense of spaciousness. The addition of a wall of steel windows and doors in the living area, despite its moderate size, makes the room feel significantly larger. Careful planning by Clowney and Elebash regarding interior doorways, kitchen layout, and furniture placement contributes to the illusion of a much larger home, with visitors often estimating it to be 3,600 square feet, when it is actually 2,950 square feet. The front room serves a dual purpose as an everyday entry and a special-occasion dining room, facilitated by clever furniture choices like a round dining table that allows for ample foot traffic. The design incorporates a mix of high-end and inexpensive items, such as antique dining chairs paired with an acrylic table and a durable seagrass rug, ensuring both elegance and practicality for daily life with pets. The kitchen, where the addition meets the original structure, features marble used in contemporary ways, such as a waterfall island and slab backsplash, creating a focal point on the range wall. Transom windows above the doorways enhance light flow and character. Shaker cabinets, painted in a diluted Benjamin Moore's Collingwood (OC-28) to match the original window and door trim's thin bead detail, and walls painted in Benjamin Moore's Simply White (OC-117) complete the cohesive look. A pass-through area, originally intended as a sitting room, was converted into a cabinet-lined butler's pantry, easing traffic flow during entertaining and complementing the petite kitchen. The cabinetry in this area is painted Farrow & Ball's Stone Blue (No. 86) as a nod to the coastal setting, and polished nickel hardware was predominantly used, with brass accents in the butler's pantry. Upstairs, a bedroom was transformed into a den, initially appearing bland with white walls. Elebash introduced Thibaut's Kasai wallpaper to add a significant visual impact. The renovation budget was managed by limiting the home's size to 2,950 square feet, allowing for investment in high-end materials and features like a vaulted ceiling with early 20th-century style beams and shiplap walls that visually distinguish the new addition from the original drywall. The main bathroom includes carved storage nooks to address an awkward bump-out and a wall-to-wall mirror to enhance the sense of space. The daughter's bedroom features a cheerful Quadrille's Sigourney Small Scale fabric for the headboard, bed skirt, and Roman shades, complemented by a bright white palette, rattan accents, and colorful woven baskets as wall decor. Externally, Clowney restored the exterior to its original 1890s appearance while adding modern touches, such as a 10-foot-deep porch, substantial shutters, and dramatic rooflines with replicated trusses. Contemporary elements like ipe decking, oversized pool pavers, and modern landscaping by Sheila Wertimer contrast with the historic facade. This blend of historical preservation and modern convenience has created a home that the Glassburns cherish, with their daughter already expressing a desire to inherit it. #HistoricRenovation #CoastalHomeDesign #InteriorDesign #ArchitecturalAddition #ReclaimedMaterials #LuxuryRenovation #SullivanIsland #TraditionalMeetsModern #HomeTransformation

Derek and Cliona Hosty embarked on a nearly decade-long journey to transform a modest 1930s two-bedroom Dublin home into a spacious dwelling suitable for their family of seven. The initial phase of their ambitious renovation project faced an unexpected obstacle when their first redesign proposal was rejected. Upon submitting an alternative plan, planning permission was further delayed due to objections from Irish Water regarding the relocation of a water pipe in their back garden. Despite adjacent properties receiving approval for similar alterations, Irish Water insisted on a six-meter access on both sides of the pipe, a requirement that could not be met due to space constraints. Cliona took direct action by visiting Irish Water's offices without an appointment. During an impromptu meeting with the officials handling their case, she presented their plans and explained their desire to divert the pipe along the back garden. This direct engagement proved successful, leading to Irish Water's agreement and the subsequent approval of their planning permission. This challenge with Irish Water was one of many encountered by the couple over three years from purchasing the house to finally moving in. However, their determination to create an ideal home for their family remained unwavering. Their commitment eventually paid off, culminating in a home three times the size of the original, earning them a spot in the top three of the "Home of the Year" final. The house is meticulously designed to cater to their family's needs, featuring abundant natural light, expansive living areas, smart storage solutions, and innovative design elements. This achievement is particularly notable given the turbulent Irish property market they navigated and their experiences living abroad in Norway. In Norway, Derek worked for Telenor, and the family appreciated the country's work-life balance and affordable childcare, which cost less than €300 per month. They observed a more equitable distribution of parental duties, with many fathers actively involved in school pickups. A memorable experience in Norway was the birth of their fifth child, Seimi, where hospital stays were remarkably affordable. Despite the advantages, the social integration with Norwegians proved challenging, and the harsh climate, with snow from October to May, eventually prompted their return to Ireland in January 2018. Back in Ireland, they secured a mortgage by leveraging Derek’s employment history to avoid probation issues. They soon found a two-bedroom house in Ballinteer, an area they admired for its amenities and walkability, which they saw as a blank canvas for their renovation aspirations. Initially, their plans were deemed "overbearing" by planners, necessitating a reduction of 25 square meters from their proposed floor plan. This setback prompted them to rethink their design, focusing on creating a kitchen island large enough for seven people and incorporating ample storage and sleeping arrangements for their growing family and occasional guests. They also decided to lower the ground floor level to achieve higher ceilings. While awaiting final planning approval, they proactively undertook demolition work, removing the old kitchen and bathroom extensions, and stripping the house of its ceilings and floors. The renovation journey was financially demanding, as they simultaneously paid rent on their temporary accommodation and a mortgage on the house undergoing renovation. This led them to temporarily relocate to Galway, staying with Derek’s parents, until construction commenced in December 2019. The Covid-19 pandemic further disrupted the project, halting construction in March 2020. Once work resumed, Cliona and Derek personally managed the build, traveling frequently between Galway and Dublin to oversee progress while juggling work and childcare responsibilities. They finally moved into their dream home in July 2021, three years after its purchase. The old house underwent a complete overhaul, with replastering, insulation, underfloor heating, and full redecoration. Significant structural changes included relocating the front door to the side of the house and replacing the original entrance with a window, creating two living rooms downstairs and two bedrooms upstairs. The new extension features a large open-plan kitchen, living, and dining area with a spacious island, innovative lighting, and customized features like symmetrically placed ovens. The house also includes a new downstairs bathroom and an upstairs en-suite bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe. Another bedroom boasts a unique sleeping unit accessible by a ladder, designed to accommodate multiple children or guests. Cliona's minimalist aesthetic, influenced by her time in Norway, is evident throughout the decor. Her passion for interior design, sparked by decorating one of her children's bedrooms, led her to develop a significant social media following. She meticulously researched suppliers, opting for cost-effective solutions like laminate flooring from Tipperary and concrete lights from New Style Lights. The couple views their challenging three-year renovation as worthwhile, having resulted in a family-centric, practical, and aesthetically pleasing home filled with fun and unique touches. #HomeRenovation #FamilyHome #InteriorDesign #DublinProperty #DIYRenovation #HomeOfTheYear #IrishWater #NorwayLiving