by Josh Steppling
Situated in a historic district, the 202 House had not been updated in over 50 years. The less than 700 square feet of space lacked sufficient natural lighting and hid its historic charm under decades of neglect. There were a lot of renovations needed to get this small, quaint home up-to-date, but it had a lot of potential and character that just needed to be brought to life.
Photography by Trimark Properties www.trimarkproperties.com
The first order of business was to restore those historic features. Shelves and built-in nooks from the house’s original construction in 1920 were recovered to accentuate the property’s historic appeal. The original hardwood floors were sanded, stripped, and covered in stain and polyurethane.
The kitchen and bathroom floors were the two spaces that didn’t have much that could be salvaged. Flooring in these rooms was replaced with a reclaimed ceramic stone tile. The bathroom was gutted to include a pedestal sink and a new shower with tile-surround. We had the entire kitchen stripped. We removed the drywall, the flooring, the counter-tops, the cabinetry—much of the wood had decayed and everything had to go. New appliances and plumbing framework allowed for the kitchen to lend a historic-luxury attractiveness. Space had to be created for a microwave and dishwasher. A testament to the property’s maturity, these appliances weren’t invented when the house was first built. Granite counter tops and custom wood cabinetry gave the bathroom and kitchen a rustic and inviting appeal.
The goal in this small home was maximized livability. The thesis for this project was that you don’t need more square footage to create a comfortable, engaging living space, and the results speak for themselves.
