Cool project, cool woman, cool house

[kenny]

Watch her eight minute video.

This 30-year-old paid $16,500 for a ‘cheap, old’ abandoned house—and completely transformed it: Look inside

Architectural historian Betsy Sweeny instantly fell in love with a 131-year-old abandoned house in Wheeling, Virginia. Here's how she renovated the dream home that she bought for just $16,500.

www.cnbc.com

 

[stracci2000]

Interesting! It's a beautiful house.
That part of the world is full of old Victorians in various states of disrepair.
It was a cheap house, but now she has big debt to repay.
I don't care for the modern furniture and light fixtures.
I would have kept it all period appropriate.
But that's just my opinion.
It would be fun to take a metal detector to the yard!

 

[vintageinjune]

That was pretty cool to see the transformation and her bringing that place back to life.

While some of the style choices aren't my cup of tea, I think she did a lovely job of blending the old with the new and creating a space perfect for her. Gives me a bit of hope for myself that I'll maybe someday so something with all the blank gray walls in my home.

 

[Ally T]

This woman has such a cool job! I Enjoyed watching this, Kenny.

I agree with @stracci2000 & @vintageinjune that her furniture choices are not completely in keeping, but I really admire that she has kept / restored as many features as she could.

It definitely hits a nerve with me & I take my hat off to her having restored this old Vicarage, though she comes across as a lot more chilled out about the whole process than I was. She obviously didn’t have carved concrete skirting boards that crumbled & ripped back to bare brick with only one company in the entire country who could replicate them & must have had a sink in the same actual cupboard as the toilet

 

[stracci2000]

This woman has such a cool job! I Enjoyed watching this, Kenny.

I agree with @stracci2000 & @vintageinjune that her furniture choices are not completely in keeping, but I really admire that she has kept / restored as many features as she could.

It definitely hits a nerve with me & I take my hat off to her having restored this old Vicarage, though she comes across as a lot more chilled out about the whole process than I was. She obviously didn’t have carved concrete skirting boards that crumbled & ripped back to bare brick with only one company in the entire country who could replicate them & must have had a sink in the same actual cupboard as the toilet

Ally, you've been there, done that, and been through it all!
We all love your Vicarage and plan on visiting you soon!

 

[MissGotRocks]

Very impressive young woman! She is totally invested in the house and her city. I don’t totally love all of her choices either but she does - and that is what is important. She also has the ability to change it up as her life and tastes evolve.

@Ally, she had lots of time during the pandemic and was a single woman. Contrast that to you with a marriage, children and pets! You can certainly see why she could be much more laid back and she didn’t have the huge amount of space that you did to renovate. You are both impressive and hats off to anyone that takes on a project like this. The rewards must be tremendous!

 

[Ally T]

Very impressive young woman! She is totally invested in the house and her city. I don’t totally love all of her choices either but she does - and that is what is important. She also has the ability to change it up as her life and tastes evolve.

@Ally, she had lots of time during the pandemic and was a single woman. Contrast that to you with a marriage, children and pets! You can certainly see why she could be much more laid back and she didn’t have the huge amount of space that you did to renovate. You are both impressive and hats off to anyone that takes on a project like this. The rewards must be tremendous!

Aw, you have made my cheeks go a bit pink. Thank you for being so kind. I am definitely older, wiser & juggling a lot more in life & a much bigger home, but I truly admire her for what she has done all by herself. Apart from her kitchen wall paper…….

 

[jeaniefish]

I read the actual article about her some time ago. That young lady has a very sensible head on her shoulders. She put a great deal of sweat equity into her home. Her restoration was carefully thought out, and nothing was over-the-top, no uber expensive gourmet oven range or hand scraped wood floors from the boards of 200 year old pine trees or that kind of stuff. She even invested in purchasing the lot next door, so that she has control over what happens to that piece of property as well. I’m guessing that her parents are very proud of her and not all that worried anout her ability to provide for herself.

 

[Ally T]

I read the actual article about her some time ago. That young lady has a very sensible head on her shoulders. She put a great deal of sweat equity into her home. Her restoration was carefully thought out, and nothing was over-the-top, no uber expensive gourmet oven range or hand scraped wood floors from the boards of 200 year old pine trees or that kind of stuff. She even invested in purchasing the lot next door, so that she has control over what happens to that piece of property as well. I’m guessing that her parents are very proud of her and not all that worried anout her ability to provide for herself.

If only there were more people like her, rather than those who see older properties as fit for nothing other than demolition.

As our builders said, they don’t build houses like they used to. We need more people to recognise that & save history.

 

[RMOO]

I so admire the fortitude of this young woman to take on a project of this size. Soooo much work, and time! I'm happy for her that it seems to be paying off for her.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Aw, you have made my cheeks go a bit pink. Thank you for being so kind. I am definitely older, wiser & juggling a lot more in life & a much bigger home, but I truly admire her for what she has done all by herself. Apart from her kitchen wall paper…….

So glad I am not the only one that stopped at that wallpaper! Lol!

 

[Lookinagain]

If only there were more people like her, rather than those who see older properties as fit for nothing other than demolition.

As our builders said, they don’t build houses like they used to. We need more people to recognise that & save history.

So true. I see so many older properties that might need upkeep or renovating just being purchased as tear-downs, when they could be brought back to life, even if that meant adding some space, etc. And modern construction just doesn't seem to be the same as what was used in older homes. And you don't need to go back hundreds of years, to see the difference.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I enjoyed this! But only young people can have that many stairs. LOL

cheers--Sharon

 

[kenny]

HI:

I enjoyed this! But only young people can have that many stairs. LOL

cheers--Sharon

Well, then don't get old.

 

[autumngems]

It's beautiful, I love it.