1912 Foursquare House

This is the home that I grew up in. It was a difficult and emotional decision, but eventually, it was time for my parents to move. Like many old homes, time had taken a toll on most everything. It was easy to not notice the disrepair when filled with people and memories, but once my parents were out, all of the flaws in the house became overwhelmingly obvious. Foundation repairs had to be made just to make it safe (and code legal) so we had to jack up the house and make repairs as a first step. Even then, the house would probably sit on the market at a ridiculously low price unless it was updated. With not much money to spend, we focused it on the most critical structural and mechanical aspects, and decided to do the visual updates ourselves. We spent nearly a year cleaning, stripping woodwork, painting, installing floors, and building a window seat and new back porch. The results were incredible - it sold for asking price within a week. So quickly that we didn't event rent furniture to stage with.

The last few photos with furnished rooms were provided by the new owner, and show the personal stamp they put on the house. They redesigned the kitchen - replacing the original cabinetry and farm sink, with contemporary counters and cabinetry, which Turned out better than I expected and make better use of the small kitchen space. Although we spent a lot of time on the kitchen, it helped to sell the house, even if it was ultimately replaced by the new owner. All-in-all, the house looks cosy and cared for - and especially nice with mission furniture in the dining room. The most important part, however, is knowing that we saved an old home from further deterioration, and gave it new life for another generation.

Renovation Photos