Restoration Details

By the time the house was slated to be demolished, many of its beautiful features, including the stairs had been covered with paneling. There was water damage on ceiling and floors and many light fixtures on the main floor had been replaced.

It took many hours of volunteer labor to remove paneling, take the walls back to the brick, insulate and drywall. Original floors were sanded and replaced where necessary. Because the original intent for the renovation was to use the residence as a tea house, bathrooms needed to be installed on the main floor, the front foyer was removed to make for a roomier hallway, and allow for French doors into the living room.

Every effort was made to make the restoration as authentic as possible using keen observation during the demolition stage of the project.

For example, when paneling was removed the trim outline around doors and windows and picture rail location became quite evident.

Some trim was recovered in the house and some was salvaged from other period homes that were slated for demolition.

Main Floor

Second Floor

Minimal changes were made to the second floor. The new stairwell now goes directly to the fire exit. The linen closet became the hallway to the second washroom.

The main washroom was split in two. This was done in the 1920s.