Reviving a Greek Revival - houseandhomeonline.com

AFTER BEFORE

Reviving a Greek Revival
AN 1889 HISTORIC HOME RETURNS TO SPLENDOR

ABOVE: After: Ten tall BY SANDRA COOK
windows make the upstairs PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIRO DVORSCAK
master suite with its open
bath the lightest, breeziest
space in the house.

LEFT AND BELOW: More than a century ago, in 1889, metal
craftsman Robert Railton built a
After: New paint on this handsome two-story, Southern-style
1889 Southern-style Greek Greek Revival home. The house has
Revival house brought out
its decorative trim. Though
original to the 1889 home,

the trim takes a minimalist endured numerous occupants and their modifications

40 approach to Greek Revival

style using thinner columns, and, of course, the harsh elements of nature. When the
flat cutout balustrades and

airy brackets. Before: The aunt/niece duo of Sheridan Mitchell Lorenz and Lori
house had been divided into

a duplex and one of the Mitchell adopted this historic home in 2005, it was in

front windows had been need of much repair, yet showed great promise. “We
turned into a door.

both had the same vision,” Lori says.

“My residence on the same street was my first project,” Sheridan says.

“Later, the little cottage next door to me came on the market. It had been very

much neglected, so I took the opportunity to simply improve my street and

the view from my own front porch. That was a really fun and worthwhile

project. The neighbors all appreciated the facelift on that cottage, so when the

AFTER BEFORE house next to that came on the market, of course I jumped at the >
chance to do it again.”

DALLAS/FORT WORTH HOUSE & HOME • AUGUST 2007

41

THIS PAGE: A private side porch, accessed through the dining or
kitchen doors, overlooks a garden. The house’s exterior walls are painted
“Connected Grey” by Sherwin-Williams. The exterior trim paint was
actually chosen to match the house next door.

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G R E E K R E V I VA L The home’s history and
character made it appealing.
42 AFTER “Just the age of the house
caught my interest,” Lori says.
BEFORE “I loved the 11-foot ceilings,
pine plank floors and punched-
tin ceiling.”

Sheridan appreciates its
Victorian vintage. “I do think
it is extremely important that
we preserve this heritage,”
Sheridan says, beaming. “I am
actually drawn to any project
that breathes a little life back
into a building — puts it to
better use or makes it beautiful
again.”

THE TRANSFORMATION

Sheridan and Lori began

remodeling the now 118-year-

old structure in January 2005

with a lengthy to-do list. Due

to the house functioning as a

duplex for a time, a second

front door had been added

next to the original double-

door entry. Removing the

nonoriginal door was a must,

but it required the replacement

of the floor-to-ceiling Thomas

Jefferson window. Lori

searched long and hard.

Finally, a contractor found a

top portion of the same style

of window and re-created the

lower half.

The arched glass lights of

the original double-door entry

had been replaced with wood

and both doors painted white.

Today, the paint is gone and

the glass returned for a much

more elegant and authentic

look. The stair’s banister also

was stripped of white paint

and stained to let the beauty of

the wood shine through.

The downstairs bath

ABOVE: After: The dining needed much help. Sink, toilet
room’s fireplace, with ornate
cast-iron front, is original to the and tub had been crammed
house.
into the tiny space, probably
LEFT: The dining room before
during the duplex days, so Lori
OPPOSITE PAGE: Lori chose
antique bead board for lower and Sheridan wisely removed
cabinets in the kitchen, and
extra-tall, glass-front upper all the old fixtures and created
cabinets help fill the vertical
space and provide added storage. a smart half-bath.

Upstairs, a spacious suite

lacked a bath, so the duo

added elegant fixtures to create

an appealing master suite.

Here, the peaceful blue >
walls and white trim glow

DALLAS/FORT WORTH HOUSE & HOME • AUGUST 2007

43

WWW.HOUSEANDHOMEONLINE.COM Lori chose antique bead board for lower
cabinets in the kitchen and extra-tall,
glass-front upper cabinets help fill the

vertical space and provide added storage.

G R E E K R E V I VA L

AFTER BEFORE

ABOVE LEFT: Bold mango-colored paint, a cheery piece of art, an ancient table
and a platter of mangos, loquats and hibiscus transform the breakfast room.

LEFT: The sidehall and stairway to the second floor are classic features of
Southern Greek Revival homes.

OPPOSITE: The front parlor features an original pressed tin ceiling.

with the light from 10 windows. The arched entry for the bath gives the
suite grand style.

Doorways throughout the house feature glass transoms that had been
painted shut and missing panes for years. Each one is now restored and fully
functional for improved airflow.

In the backyard, a massive cistern was removed and relocated.
Reclaiming the back yard from the towering structure made the

44 possibility of a back porch more practical and desirable. Today, the added

outdoor space wraps around a back corner of the house, providing a
peaceful view of the new garden landscape.

AUTHENTIC FEEL OF THE ISLAND

Stephen Creitz moved into the fully restored home last summer to take care

of the place while it was prepped for the real estate market. His exquisite

furnishings help to both honor the home’s past and testify to the modern

sensibility of the place.

“There’s such a grand feel with the high ceilings — you never feel

squished,” Creitz remarks. “It’s quite a change from a modern home. With

all the large windows, it feels more like living outside. And when it’s windy,

the house sings.”

Seeing how far the house has come in the past year, Creitz is quite

impressed. “A tremendous amount of life has been breathed back into

AFTER BEFORE this place. I feel like the house is happy. There’s a good vibe and a sense >
of harmony.”

DALLAS/FORT WORTH HOUSE & HOME • AUGUST 2007

45

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G R E E K R E V I VA L WORTH THE EFFORT

46 Witnessing the evolution
during the six-month
renovation was a thrill for
Lori. “I loved watching the
whole process and seeing
the end result. It’s exactly
what I envisioned,” Lori
says. “I’m so happy with
the paint colors and the
back porch we added. I
love the Thomas Jefferson
walk-through windows,
the clean architectural
lines and the arches.”

“I am always amazed
how easily a building can
be transformed — from
one that you barely notice
to one that grabs your
attention,” Sheridan says.
“The final result exceeded
my expectations.”

Overall, Lori says it
was a very positive
experience. “We enjoyed
working together and hope
to do more projects
together,” she adds.

“Part of the fun was
making sure the exterior
colors and landscapes of
the houses complemented
one another, and with
each effort the context was
made richer,” Sheridan
adds. “I think once again,
the whole neighborhood is
happy that another home
is renewed, adding not
only more value to their
homes, but also to their
enjoyment and pride in
the neighborhood.”

LEFT: A few crisp
modern pieces
keep the
Victorian-era
parlor from
feeling stuffy.

OPPOSITE

PAGE:
Windows of the
simply furnished
dining room
overlook a side
porch that’s sunny
in the morning.

DALLAS/FORT WORTH HOUSE & HOME • AUGUST 2007

47

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