2008 Reader Remodel Contest Winner: Texas Queen Anne

Sharon's extensive salvaging also saved a good deal of money. Flea-market doorknobs for $16 apiece certainly beat $100 reproductions. Submerging the old hardware in buckets of molasses, a rust-removing tip she learned on an automotive-repair site, was her secret weapon.

Shown: Sharon bought the pristine 1950s Chambers gas range on eBay and had it retrofitted with a shut-off safety valve for $700. The durable gray granite countertops mimic the look of period-appropriate but more nick-prone soapstone.