2009 Reader Remodel Winner: From Forlorn to Refreshed

Before: Exterior

Early on we were thrilled to find a literal blueprint for restoring many original details in a reprinted 1890s catalog of house plans by George Franklin Barber, a well-known architect at the time. There was our house: Design 23, Plan 2. Now we had a vision complete with pictures, ­starting with the gabled entry porch, its glorious sunburst spandrel fronting a barrel-vaulted beadboard ceiling.

Shown: The turreted 1896 house, minus the “remuddled” front porch, had been rented for years to groups of college students.

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• Article: Top Tips for Tackling a Period Fixer-Upper
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