INHABITING a fantasy
Old House Journal|July - August 2023
A bland old house, once home to musicians who were month-to-month, slowly morphs into a Victorian showcase born of its owners' imaginations.
MAX DENZER
INHABITING a fantasy

IT HAD BEEN A "BAND HOUSE" since the 1980s; one of those tired, featureless dwellings wedged between the bars and dorms of a northeastern college town. Each room was rented by the month to an aspiring musician; the common areas were an obstacle course of amplifiers, drum kits, and empty bottles. Upstairs, Goths flitted among bedrooms, a Grunge band resided in the dining room, while a reclusive Industrial composer lurked in the master suite. And this is how the current owners, Turner and Pherber, found themselves restoring it; the previous homeowner's band had broken up and she had moved away, leaving the rudderless coven blinking in the unfamiliar New England sunlight. Paperwork was drafted, funds exchanged, and for now, the house's legacy of a musicians' haven remained uninterrupted.

Built by a handyman, the modest house never had decent finishes, affording the owners a blank slate to create a scheme that one visitor dubbed 'Vampire Meets British Rock Star'.

The couple set about renovating it, room by room, as time and money allowed. "There was little to honor as far as the original fabric of the house," recounts Turner. "Aside from years of benign neglect, the modest house was built by a handyman around 1915 with little to nothing spent on finish details; materials came from the local lumberyard." This afforded the new owners a blank slate to create a scheme that a recent visitor dubbed 'Vampire Meets British Rock Star'.

For decades, the exterior was sheathed in aluminum, which upon removal revealed the original siding; economical triple-tab asphalt roofing hung in bands of grey and brown. Surprisingly, wooden clapboards had never graced the building. Winglets had been tacked onto the lower rake edges of the roofline at some point; the original porch had been remodeled into a cage of triple-track aluminum win- dows, now long missing many sashes.

Denne historien er fra July - August 2023-utgaven av Old House Journal.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra July - August 2023-utgaven av Old House Journal.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA OLD HOUSE JOURNALSe alt
The Unabashed Maximalist- This home at the top of a San Francisco row house is a kaleidoscope of colors and textures. Every piece has a story to tell.
Old House Journal

The Unabashed Maximalist- This home at the top of a San Francisco row house is a kaleidoscope of colors and textures. Every piece has a story to tell.

This home at the top of a San Francisco row house is a kaleidoscope of colors and textures. Every piece has a story to tell.

time-read
5 mins  |
July - August 2024
Beat the heat - In this time of weather extremes and power disruptions, it's important to learn from the past as we think about the future.
Old House Journal

Beat the heat - In this time of weather extremes and power disruptions, it's important to learn from the past as we think about the future.

In this time of weather extremes and power disruptions, it's important to learn from the past as we think about the future.

time-read
8 mins  |
July - August 2024
A 1980s CONDO GOES RETRO VINTAGE
Old House Journal

A 1980s CONDO GOES RETRO VINTAGE

We needed the amenities of our modern condominium complex-but that didn't stop us from completely transforming it, in two period styles!

time-read
2 mins  |
July - August 2024
art space
Old House Journal

art space

CREATIVE PROBLEMSOLVING BRINGS FINESSE TO A MINNEAPOLIS ROW HOUSE GUTTED IN 1979, BLENDING HISTORIC ELEMENTS AND MODERN USE IN 1200 SQUARE FEET.

time-read
3 mins  |
July - August 2024
A SUMMER RETREAT PRESERVED in the Catskill Mountains
Old House Journal

A SUMMER RETREAT PRESERVED in the Catskill Mountains

Theatrical and yet as cozy as a camp, the Victorian house that sat vacant for a decade was remarkably intact.

time-read
3 mins  |
July - August 2024
Common Door Problems
Old House Journal

Common Door Problems

An introduction for do-it-yourselfers to reading a balky door and taking steps to fix it

time-read
3 mins  |
July - August 2024
Rescuing Old Furniture By Refinishing
Old House Journal

Rescuing Old Furniture By Refinishing

Sometimes the finish is just too far gone and the old piece demands a refresh to make it attractive and usable. Here's one success story.

time-read
3 mins  |
July - August 2024
Eastlake Galley
Old House Journal

Eastlake Galley

The 1886 house is a Victorian Revival jewel box, all in just 1700 square feet.

time-read
2 mins  |
July - August 2024
Hideaway Bed Ideas, ca. 1930
Old House Journal

Hideaway Bed Ideas, ca. 1930

This page comes from the catalog \"More Home in Less Space,\" published by the original Murphy Door Bed Company.

time-read
2 mins  |
July - August 2024
BUNKS & built-in beds
Old House Journal

BUNKS & built-in beds

Bunk beds and bedroom built-ins have lots of history-and they're not just for kids.

time-read
1 min  |
July - August 2024