New Year, New Project

It is a new year and Michelle Willey has a new project. She finished a major home renovation over the summer, and her eponymous home décor store has been up and running for over a year, so why not start a new project. In January 2007, Willey began renovating a house located in an old mid-Cambridge neighborhood.

The two-family house, which was built in 1897, needs complete updating--from new electrical, plumbing and heating systems to walk-in closets, to new kitchens and bathrooms. Surprisingly, Willey is thrilled that the house has been held in the same family for the past century. "Although the building was neglected, the family didn’t ruin its character or chop it up." Despite being built as affordable housing, this building has more character and charm than the typical home built today. This charm includes nearly 9’ high ceilings, original doors and hardware, natural wood trim, pocket doors and a nicely crafted staircase.

Willey, whose motto is "classic ideas for modern living", appreciates well-designed, light airy spaces with a sense of classic style. To this end, she will be adding dormer windows, enlarging closets, adding bathrooms and laundry facilities. New bathrooms and kitchens will have an older style feel with luxurious materials and appliances. The highest flattery is when someone compliments her for keeping an "original" element that is brand new. For example, her last renovation project included some "old-looking" new features such as a tin ceiling, and antique pantry from an old house in New York. Mixing the old with the new, as well as a whole lot of paint (she is a stickler about color), Willey plans to create contemporary and timeless home whose design will stand up to the next 110 years.

Note: I wrote this entry back in January. Since that time, the chimney stack was removed, electrical, heating and plumbing systems were being updated, walls were removed, the sewer connected, wallpaper was stripped, rooms were framed, a concrete slab was poured in the newly dug out basement, met with the city’s historic committee . . . some of the least blog-worthy parts of renovating (at least from my perspective). Still, in the upcoming entries I will share some of the photos of the first phases of the renovation project.