They have done almost all of the work themselves, even the rough plumbing. . They peeled and stripped multiple layers of wallpaper and paint, ripped out carpeting from every room, including the kitchen and bathrooms, and redecorated each room. They painted the exterior, removed pine paneling at the rear, and re-stuccoed the wall. They installed a new roof and installed new storm windows..

In the living room, they rebuilt the fireplace, adding the graceful mantle and tile. At the far end, a den/study is set off by double doors. The opposite end of the living room serves as a formal dining room, but could easily be switched back to the original dining room, which is now the family room. Here they knocked through a wall to connect this to the kitchen. The kitchen is the only room for which they hired a contractor and designer. Ripping out a false ceiling over the breakfast area revealed a high-angled ceiling. They bumped out the exterior wall and installed built-in cabinets on the north side.

On the second floor, the bathroom at the head of the stairs was unheated and huge, going all the way to the end of the house. They installed heated ceramic tiles, reduced the size of the room, and added the space to the formerly tiny bath in the master bedroom.

There are two pretty children’s rooms with hand-painted walls, one with a sailing theme and one with clouds, moon, and stars. A second-floor sunporch was converted into a playroom for the children, both of whom were born while the owners were involved in this massive renovation project.

The attic rooms were mostly finished by the previous owner, and here the present owners lived for a time as they started work on the other floors. Now these rooms serve as a comfortable and interesting guest suite.

The basement was originally a one-huge-room cellar, with the usual functions. Now it houses a home theater (for films), an office, and a workshop. The acoustic tile in the theater ceiling is homemade -- squares of foam carefully cut and covered with cloth.

Light-filled and utterly pleasing to the eye, this is an amazing house!

Look For:
· Use of earth tones, such as a suede faux finish in living room.
· Heated floor tiles in upstairs hall bathroom.
· Attic fireplace and bath.
· Blue and white giraffe in child’s room.
· Quilt rack, 2 quilts from a grandmother, bed from great-grandmother.
· Many family photos throughout the house.