The Cambridge TV House: Updating a Classic Queen Anne

Having lived in Cambridge for more than 10 years, the couple was looking to find more space for their growing family. This 2,400-square-foot three-story house offered a great location—the same school district, a short walk to public transit—but inside, it was a mishmash of rooms, the unfortunate legacy of its past as a two-family dwelling. The kitchen was on the second floor, not exactly convenient for hauling in groceries; an oversize laundry room took up a good chunk of the first floor; and previous renovations had stripped away almost all of the house's original detail. Structurally there were issues as well. "There was a first-floor partition wall that wasn't sitting on its girder, so the floors were sagging and new supports were needed," says TOH general contractor Tom Silva.

Shown: The house before its modern makeover. See a full gallery of the Cambridge project before it's renovation here.