This Victorian was built in 1885 as a summer cottage on the water in Hingham, Massachusetts.
When the current owners bought the long-neglected old house in 2002, they wanted to restore its original beauty.
An article about the house in Better Homes and Gardens reports that the homeowners replanted the gardens in Victorian style with hydrangeas, English ivy, and Sea Foam roses. The new stone wall with steps was built to match the existing seawall.
They didn’t want to recreate the Victorian era inside the house by putting anything too formal or fussy in the rooms. Instead, they wanted it to be “fresh, functional, and comfortable.”
Luckily, the original hardwood floors had been protected underneath carpet for years, so they were able to salvage them.
I love that the Victorians considered a house like this a “summer cottage.” They had grander ideas about cottages than we do now, didn’t they?
To read the article, visit Better Homes and Gardens.
…perfection…inside and out…blessings laney
Whoa, that’s a beauty. I love how the house was renovated, and I’m glad they kept the original footprint and didn’t make a humongous, mismatched kitchen. The colors are great, and the house still grand but kind of casual too. Well done!!
That is a really nice renovation. I am actually glad that kept the footprint of the kitchen as it works well and is pretty large already.
THOSE FLOORS… they make me all verklempt!
Wow, this really gives the “Something’s Gotta Give” beach house a run for it’s money, doesn’t it? So fresh and bright! I’m glad they didn’t have to do a total gut job. It’s the only kitchen reno I’ve seen that looks bigger and brighter after removing 2 windows!
Absolutely PERFECT!
Did anyone notice that the kitchen backsplash looks paneled like a door or wainscoting?
I’ve never seen that done before!
This house has been beautifully redone. It is simple and casual but still fits the character of the house. I had to laugh at the potting bench though–I can’t imagine using it as I would constantly be afraid of ruining the wood top. My gardening tends to be on the sloppy side with plenty of dirt, fertilizer, water, sharp instruments, etc. to ruin that beautiful bench.
Gorgeous house! So much thought and love went into that renovation. I love the light palette that was used … And those lilac accents send me over the top!
Wow! This is one of the best transformations I’ve ever seen. Just that impact from the first picture of all those windows on the outside was stunning! The work they did on the inside is incredible. Love it!
Perfection. And I’m not a pastel kind of guy, but even the soft wall colors are a perfect fit for this house. What a great job they did!
Might just be the photo, but under the decking it looks to be screened-in? A screened-in porch is always nice on those hot, bug-filled evenings (especially if they’re bugs that bite!).
Gorgeous perfection! That kitchen, those stairs, and the dining room!
My far less impressive dining room is about two shades lighter with the same color trim. About two months after repainting it, I realized I had painted the room (and the bathroom and two bedrooms) the same colors as my church. I just love that combo of green and white with wood floors.
love it! especially appreciate that they did not rip out the beautiful old hardwood floors and put in something “perfect”.
Wonderful job. Particularly the potting room, going into my mental file folder! Also love the dining room, the built ins look perfect. This home is so pleasant to look at. It has a very calm vibe that I love.
Hi Julia,
Before anything, I want to say that I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day with your kids!
This place is totally “me”! 🙂 I love everything about it!
Have a Blessed week, my friend.
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
That’s what happens as our children grow up and leave home. There may be study abroad or internships in far flung cities or even countries. They may move to a different state. I don’t know when I’ve had a Mother’s Day with both of my sons. What gets harder is after they’re married and you have to share them for Thanksgiving or Christmas (or they have professions where they don’t get off even on holidays). I’ve had Thanksgivings without either of my children. The hardest, though, is Christmas. We had our first Christmas morning without either of our children or grandchildren last year, and we couldn’t even visit with my family and the nieces and nephews because they were falling like dominoes to the stomach flu. You really cherish those times when you can have the family all together.
Oh, boy. I know those days are coming but I’m not ready yet! 🙁
Julia – this place is spectacular! I’m particularly impressed by the gorgeous curved moldings they did in the dining room. But the other rooms are just as great. Wouldn’t it be great to have a sunroom like that? What a beautiful home!
Thanks so much for sharing,
Laurel
Gorgeous renovation with fine materials and lovely furnishings. This one is perfect!
WANT !
I want to put the whole house into a file for later inspiration. Just lovely. I could move in today. I loved the sunroom and potting room, but the whole house is just classy.
Wow! This is a fabulous transformation. It looks like the ‘before’ house was haunted by the ghost of Mickey Mouse.
A+ transformation! It’s so nice to see they didn’t turn the kitchen into one if those cavernous open things. The new kitchen is fresh, lovely & still looks period. This reno still retains much of the original character & charm and a lot of time/work and consideration went into it..a great labor of love and one of the best I’ve seen on here. The only thing I’d change is the exterior paint to match one of the interiors blue, yellow or green..that’s just because I’m not a gray or neutral fan.