My 200-Year-Old Home Reno Hinged On a Gilmore Girls–Worthy Town Vote | domino

Taylor Swaim undertook a significant renovation of her nearly 200-year-old Greek Revival home in Litchfield County, Connecticut, aiming to restore its exterior to its original 1800s appearance. Swaim purchased the house in 2021, at which point its exterior was a bright yellow that she felt detracted from the architectural details and lacked presence. The renovation, which began roughly four years later, sought to imprint Swaim’s personal style while honoring the home's historical integrity. A key aspect of the renovation involved reinstating the 1800s Greek Revival trim work, which had been removed when a Victorian-era porch was added and subsequently fell into disrepair. Swaim collaborated with an architect to replicate the proportions and details of the home’s original fireplace mantel for the new front door trim, ensuring historical accuracy. This restoration process, however, necessitated navigating a complex and lengthy approval process due to the home's historical district location. Swaim, a first-time homebuyer unfamiliar with historical district regulations, initially underestimated the time required for approvals. The approval journey began with Preservation Connecticut, a state historical group. Swaim and her architect engaged in multiple rounds of revisions to meet the organization's criteria, which included a nuanced requirement: the new trim should be historically accurate but also subtly distinguishable as non-original to allow historians to identify it as a restoration rather than an untouched original. This state-level approval alone took approximately five months. Following state approval, Swaim engaged with her local historic district. This stage, though faster due to the prior state approval, involved a public town meeting where residents voted on her renovation plans, a process Swaim likened to scenes from the television show *Gilmore Girls*. Ultimately, her plans received approval. After securing approvals, the renovation proceeded to painting and fixture selection. Swaim had initially scheduled painters before the trim approvals were finalized, leading to a two-phase painting process: the house was painted in the fall, and the trim was addressed in the spring. For the exterior color, she opted for Benjamin Moore's 'Swiss Coffee,' a warmer white, instead of the stark bright whites common in New England, to achieve a softer look. The front door was painted with Benjamin Moore's 'Sussex Green,' a muddy brown-green chosen for its earthy feel and harmony with the surrounding natural environment. Bronze lantern-style fixtures from Generation Lighting were installed to match the door’s bronze hardware, and planters from Smith and Hawken for Target were added, filled with seasonal plants like hellebores and Midnight Rose Coral Bells. While the construction phase itself was brief, lasting only three to four days, it presented moments of anxiety. Working on a 200-year-old house with visible interior walls and no insulation led Swaim to question her decision temporarily. However, her confidence in the architects ultimately allayed these fears. Upon completion, Swaim expressed profound satisfaction, feeling that the renovation allowed her to leave her personal mark on the historic property, transforming it into truly her own home after many years and prior inhabitants. #HomeRenovation #HistoricPreservation #GreekRevival #ExteriorDesign #ArchitecturalRestoration #PaintColors #LitchfieldCounty #BeforeAndAfter #CommunityApproval #HomeRenovation #HistoricPreservation #GreekRevival #ExteriorDesign #ArchitecturalRestoration #PaintColors #LitchfieldCounty #BeforeAndAfter #CommunityApproval