2010 Reader Remodel Winner: From Blank Slate to Charming Cape

After that little adventure, which included a panicked call to the Poison Control Center after our 2-year-old decided to find out how tasty the tile grout was (he was fine), we swore we'd put off any more renovations for a good long time. But the house, and life, had other ideas.

When we first saw the Cape, in 2002, we knew it wasn't exactly a dream come true. John's in theater—his specialty is set design—and I'm a graphic designer. Both of us love old houses that have plenty of character, and this one had a facade as blank as a white plate.

Shown: The house's exterior details and graceful proportions were lost under a blizzard of aluminum siding.