Historic homes made modern: Explore 3 of our favorite historic renovations we've featured

A lot has changed over the last century, including the way houses are built. While the homes of today boast modern amenities and the latest technology, there’s a certain charm historic homes possess that can’t be replicated.

The owners of these previously featured abodes found ways to marry historic and modern, creating spaces that offer the best of both worlds.

A 'Shantyboat House'

The first time Colin Clark set eyes on his Butchertown home, it was in such shambles it could barely be described as a house.

“There were needles and beer cans … just trash piled like six feet high (throughout) the entire backyard,” Clark said.

Among the debris was a Courier Journal article from 1976. The article was about the house and included pictures of what it looked like before it was abandoned, as well as information about the neighborhood’s nickname for the home: Shantyboat House.

Legend has it that after a big flood, someone took a house that had floated down the Ohio River and built a new foundation underneath, creating what is now the structure that Clark calls home.

Today, the 1850s abode boasts a Louisville Historic Structure Landmarks Commission plaque outside and has been completely renovated from top to bottom.

The interior features a mix of new decorative pieces, personal items, and some bits of the original house that Clark salvaged. Though he removed the brick flooring from the main level, he was able to keep other areas with original brick intact; his house also still has its original fireplaces as well as the original flooring upstairs.

A window from the home’s 1970s renovation was closed off, but the stained glass was saved and now serves as a wall hanging in the dining area. Clark also restored an original clawfoot tub and moved it to the added bathroom.

He even added a deck accessible from the loft/office area, which offers views of Lynn Family Stadium and the Big Four Bridge. Down below, his landscape architect brother helped craft the yard, which boasts a fire pit, hot tub, and ample space for seating and cornhole.

Rebuilding a bungalow

Gary and Shelley Pepper had been living in Prospect for more than 20 years when Shelley decided she was ready to be closer to downtown Louisville.

“(But) the only place I would ever consider moving to would be (here),” Gary said Crescent Hill.

They soon found a home in the area, and though the bones of the house were solid, the 110-year-old property hadn’t been updated in years.

“(We) did a complete, 100% renovation, inside and out,” Gary said. “All the plumbing, all the electric, every wall, ceiling, floor, everything — the whole house has been touched.”

Pocket doors were taken out, walls were torn down, and at least seven doorways were removed, but the Peppers kept all of the original windows in the living room.

Though most of the home’s interior is completely different from what it once was, the Peppers tried to maintain the house’s original charm as best they could.

“We built (new) porches in the front and back,” Gary said. “The way we built them, it looks like it was the original architecture of the house … we did it in such a way that we used giant poplar timbers that we salvaged out of an old building downtown.”

The porches were crafted so carefully, that no one would ever be able to tell at first glance that they were brand new.

“I didn’t want to move back, but now that I’m here I love it,” Gary exclaimed. I don’t know why I waited so long.”

New life as a loft

As the owners of HIM Gentleman’s Boutique and Mane Alley Color & Extension Bar, Ross and Diana Wallace had been operating their businesses in the building across from the former Preston Arts Center in downtown New Albany for several years.

“We just kept saying, I wish something would go in there,” Diana said. “It's such a beautiful building. It could be so pretty … (but) it just sat empty.”

The couple watched the old Preston Arts Center space sit unoccupied year after year — until they were presented with the opportunity to purchase and restore the building, move their businesses into it, and build their new home upstairs.

“When we saw the building … it was literally just falling apart,” Diana said. “We just saw the potential — (and) it’s only ever been offices up here. It’s never been a home.”

After about 10 months of renovations, Ross and Diana were about to call the historic building home.

Though the appliances, fixtures, and most of the furniture in the space are new, the Wallaces kept some of the building’s old charm with refinished maple flooring, exposed brick walls, and the original hallway storage paneled doors.

“We (also) kept all the trim and just put it back up along the windows and doors,” Diana said. They also retained most of the existing walls, save for one that was torn down to open the living space up a bit more.

In addition to picking out fixtures and finishes, opting for some exposed wood beams, and selecting carefully placed floating shelves, Ross and Diana chose their furniture and accessories, providing a completely personal touch to the interior design.

“We’ve enjoyed it very much, and we're utilizing every (part) of this building,” Diana said. "We’re super happy with how everything turned out. We love it.”

Know a house that would make a great Home of the Week? Email writer Lennie Omalza at [email protected] or Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory at [email protected].

nuts & bolts: Shantyboat story

Owner: Colin Clark, who is a product manager.

Home: This is a 2-bed, 2-bath, 1,600-square-foot, walkout shotgun-style home built in 1855 in the Butchertown neighborhood of Louisville.

Distinctive elements: Dubbed “Shantyboat House,” it's on the Historical Preservation list; Historical Preservation Society ensured the outside of the house stayed true to original architecture; home was previously written about in the Courier Journal in 1976; triple-pane windows in the front of the house; original brick fireplaces for each room; repurposed original clawfoot tub from the upstairs bathroom; relocated and updated kitchen with granite countertops; stained glass window from 70s renovation repurposed as wall hanging in the dining room; original hardwood floors upstairs; new additional bathroom; new loft area/office.

Applause! Applause! Colin Clark would like to thank his mother, Carol Rennwanz, and his girlfriend, Whitney Rankin, for their design expertise; his brother Kevin Clark for the landscape architecture; Set the Stage for their interior design services; and Scott Gorter of SG Construction.

nuts & bolts: Rebuilding a bungalow

Owners: Gary and Shelley Pepper. Gary is a director of facilities at Waterfront Park and Shelley is a sales and marketing manager at Savvas Learning Company. Also in the home is their dog, Mojo.

Home: This is a 4-bed, 3-bath, 2,800-square-foot, arts-and-crafts-style bungalow built in 1908 in the Crescent Hill neighborhood.

Distinctive elements: House was completely renovated, including all electrical, plumbing, flooring, etc.; front porch and entry terrace were extended and remodeled to look like original structure; original windows remain to retain the home’s character; all trim and hardware were salvaged and reused during restoration; large storage area discovered under main staircase has been converted into dog’s bedroom; extra-high ceilings in the basement to accommodate original homeowner’s garage turnstile.

nuts & bolt: New life as a loft

Owners: Ross & Diana Wallace own HIM Gentleman’s Boutique and the Mane Alley Color & Extension Bar in New Albany.

Home: This 2-bed, 2-bath, 2,000-square-foot loft was created in 2019. The historic J.J. Newberry Co. building was built in 1901 in downtown New Albany, Indiana.

Distinctive elements: Dentil work cornice; splayed window lintels with keystone ornamentation; paired central window with scrolled volute window hood; classically inspired wall ornamentation on the second level; original door and window trim; refinished maple flooring; original hallway storage paneled doors; exposed brick walls.

Applause! Applause! DC Contractors; Schmitt Furniture; Signature Countertops.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Inside renovated historic homes in Louisville, Kentucky area