Amazing Historic Home Remodels

Built in 1905, this two-story masonry house outside of Chicago had a lot going for it before its renovation. The residence featured numerous architectural details designed by turn-of-the-century architect Frederick Lehmer, including beautiful wood carvings that sat atop masonry columns on the porch. However, the home’s original porch steps made it difficult to enter – one of the main reasons the homeowners decided to remodel. They wanted the front porch rebuilt and a large porch landing constructed, yet they also wanted to maintain the historical character of their home. 

The new and spacious addition addresses the homeowners’ need for a larger porch stair landing and an expanded living room. The renovation of both spaces pays homage to the original historical design of the period.

The new porch columns were constructed to emulate the original columns, but are proportionately larger in order to accommodate the higher porch roof height. An original wood ornament was saved during demolition, used as a template for the new wood trim and resized to fit the new proportions of the brick columns.

The original living room was not spacious enough for the homeowners. It couldn’t comfortably accommodate their furniture, as a sofa partially blocked an opening to the living room.