Before | The Hearth and Fireplace Surround
When the Polks bought their new home, they found that the fireplace surround had been painted over and the hearth had been retiled—changes that the original architects and designers may not have approved.
After | The Hearth and Fireplace Surround
The Polks meticulously scraped the white paint off the fireplace surround, which then received a healthy dose of handcrafted tile from Detroit’s Pewabic Pottery. Seeing the surround return to its original wooden state made Tim Sullivan ecstatic; he lived in the home with his grandparents and as part of his weekly chores, he had to polish the wood on the fireplace.
Before | The Kitchen
Before the renovation, the kitchen had cabinets and archways original to the home, but also sported linoleum flooring and countertops that were definitely past their prime.
After | The Kitchen
The kitchen was stripped back to the studs, but you will recognize that the natural light is coming in through the same window opening, Kevin notes.
Before | The Living Room
Before, the living room showed promise with its beautiful bay window, but it also had water damage in the walls and ceiling.
After | The Living Room
Repaired and restored, the stained-glass crests in the windows have been returned to their rightful status as an architectural detail that shows notable craftsmanship.
After | The Living Room
In this photo of the living room, you can see the stained-glass crest reappear in the windows flanking the fireplace surround.
Before | Upstairs Full Bath
The pink and blue color scheme disappeared with the gut job that took this second-floor full bath back to the studs.
After | Upstairs Full Bath
The crisp neutral tones in the renovated bath allow the natural light and architectural detail to shine (check out the reflection in the mirror!).
Before | Archway
Before the restoration, the plaster molding on the archway had literally lost its touch—the intricate pattern drowned with the water that damaged the surrounding walls and ceiling.
After | Archway
After mixing traditional technique with a 3-D printer, the plaster molding is back and intricate as ever. The final golden touch was hand-painted by the Polks’ son, Christian.
Before | Dining Room
Before the renovation, the dining room had intricate molding and ceiling details that didn’t receive much first-glance attention.
After | Dining Room
Now, the patterns in the molding pop, as the white strip is sandwiched between a khaki wall and a ceiling, which is painted in two colors to accentuate the details there as well.
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Check here for all Detroit photo galleries from TOH TV host Kevin O’Connor! While you wait for the project, follow him out at @kevinoconnorTOH on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more photography.