Portland Home Renovation

Old Meets New

When this St. Paul, Minnesota, home was built in 1884, it didn’t have electricity or plumbing. It was eventually added, but by the time we took on the project, it had been turned into a duplex and was a disaster. We worked within the existing footprint but reconfigured some of the spaces and updated the plumbing and electric. Anything that appeared original was treated with care, and anything that couldn’t be saved was recreated. The result is a home that’s suited for modern living but with design elements that speak to its past.

Among the unique aspects we love about this renovation is the living room fireplace. We peeled back 10 layers of paint to discover the original fireplace surround was carved out of Churchill soapstone, which we restored to its original beauty. We added a powder room under the stairs to create a first floor bathroom and had custom Victorian tiles made (which Shawn designed). The tiles now look like they’ve been there for as long as the hearth has. In the kitchen, the custom cabinets were modeled after the original pantry doors, and the original pine floors were repurposed for a ceiling treatment. We even incorporated decorative brick that had been on the crumbling exterior into the landscaping.