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2008 Homer Award Winner for Outstanding Historic Renovation.
5 generations of our client's family have lived in this 2-story farmhouse in St. Clair County, Illinois. As renovation began, we unearthed pieces that revealed that the house was older than previously thought; great-grandfather bought it 140 years ago, but it was built sometime in the 1860s.
It was a working farm for most of its life, and today is used primarily as the family's weekend getaway. They wanted to update and expand the home while respecting the home's heritage. More bathrooms, a luxury kitchen, a 2-story addition to accommodate a dining room and master suite and completely overhauled energy efficiency were the goals.
We began by peeling away all the layers to get to the original structure, salvaging as much original fabric as possible. The framing impressed our Mosby carpenters because it was from old-growth Southern pine trees and still as solid and plumb as the day it was first erected. This was a great foundation to build the home's new life around.
Read about the first mystery revealed when remodeling began.
Learn more about the historic structure.
Essentially, we designed and built a brand new home around the original bones. From the basement to the roof, every system and function of the house was rebuilt, while the distinctive parts of the home that gave it personality were refurbished and reinstalled or - like the kitchen ceiling becoming bathroom wall paneling - used in an entirely new fashion.
Part rehab, part remodel and part new construction, it was a challenging, sensitive and invigorating project. We worked closely with the family, taking time to honor and improve the house, and the end result is a thing of beauty.
With a 2-story rear addition and reconfiguration of existing space, the home went from 1,945 s.f. to 2,929 livable square footage. The addition brought 2 bathrooms and a master bedroom to the existing 2 bedrooms on the 2nd floor, and a large dining room leading out to a glorious back deck overlooking the corn fields.
See the new luxury kitchen.
See the 3 new bathrooms.
See more stories and photos about this project.
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