Get Historic Home Remodeling Ideas for Your Own Classic Home in Kansas City
People with a passion for history and the historic homes erected during important eras should be pleased to know that certain vacation towns are calling out to them, asking them to pay a visit.
Whether you’re going because you’re a history buff or if you just love classic architectural design, these towns have something to offer – and can even give you great ideas for your own historic home renovation back home in Kansas City, with help from Architectural Craftsmen. Where will you visit first?
Tour Opulent Historic Home Renovations in Newport, Rhode Island
The mansions in Newport harken visitors back to the gilded age, when Manhattan and Philadelphia’s elite would summer in this coastal city. Visitors can tour 11 of these mansions, which have been carefully preserved, through the Preservation Society of Newport County.
One historic home of note, The Breakers, should not be missed. Cornelius Vanderbilt II’s summer home is 138,000 square feet with 70 rooms, and 27 fireplaces. Most rooms are heavily adorned with marble.
Although The Breakers’s style isn’t quite aligned with your Kansas City Dible Tudor home, you can make it your own “mini mansion” with guidance from local historic home remodeling experts, drawing inspiration from the appropriate design era.
Feel the Pulse of the American Revolution in Alexandria, Virginia’s Historic Homes
Founded in 1749 by Scottish merchants, Alexandria, Virginia is today considered a suburb of Washington, D.C. Old Town Alexandria, along the Potomac River, has been designated as a historic district, and it’s there you’ll find brick-lined streets lined with Georgian- and Federal-style homes, many of which were built prior to 1820. A whopping 140 sites are linked to George Washington.
Visit Alexandria recommends visiting the Spite House, the narrowest house in the United States, at just seven feet wide. Inside, you’ll not only get some Instagram-worthy snaps with your family, but you’re also likely to pick up some inspiration for small space renovations for your own historic home.
Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler in New Orleans’ Historic Districts
With Spanish and French influences and its own culture altogether, New Orleans is unlike any other American city. It’s likely you already know about the historic buildings lining the streets of the French Quarter, the main tourist area, with its wrought-iron balconies. But there are more historic homes to see throughout the city.
Get inspiration for your own old home renovation from the historic homes in the Garden District, where stately mansions like the Monroe Adams House, Walter Grinnan House, and Brevard House stand. Does something smaller seem more your speed? Visit New Orleans’ famous shotgun houses, a series of tiny homes with designs inspired by Haiti, located in the Irish channel and Esplanade Ridge neighborhoods.
Stick to the Midwestern Architectural Styles in Galena, Illinois
Just about three hours northwest of Chicago lies the small town of Galena, where you’ll find preserved architecture in its historic downtown district – and picturesque Mississippi River views at nearly every turn.
Hop on the one-hour trolley tour and be sure to stop by the Grant Home, the 19th-century residence of President Ulysses S. Grant. The house is typical of the Italianate style, with rectilinear shapes, projecting eaves supported by brackets, balustraded balconies over porches, and a low-pitched roof. A historic home renovation project was completed on it in 1955, in an effort to return the home to its original 1868 appearance – and the Grant family’s own furniture remains in each room.
Does the Grant Home provide the modern functionality you’d expect from your own historic home remodeling project with Architectural Craftsmen? No. But seeing its historically accurate woodwork and molding is sure to give you ideas for your own abode!
Take a Staycation and View Appropriately Renovated Historic Homes in Kansas City
As a resident of Kansas City and an owner of your own historic home, you know our metro area is full of houses and mansions built prior to the 1940s. Why not take a staycation and visit your own fair city in a new way as you gather design inspiration for your upcoming historical home remodeling project.
Consider visits to these unique area historic homes and neighborhoods:
Vaile Mansion, a three-story Victorian mansion in Independence, Missouri, just a mile north of the historic Independence Square. It is considered one of the best examples of the Second Empire-style architecture in the United States, featuring both Italianate and Gothic details, such as a black walnut grand staircase, nine marble fireplaces, and onyx pillars. Keep in mind this splendid museum is closed during the winter months, so plan your visit accordingly.
The Harry S. Truman National Historic Site, also located at 219 North Delaware Street in Independence, Missouri, off the historic square, is yet another example of Victorian architecture. The carefully preserved home was once known as the “Summer White House,” and its historic home renovations over the years have protected its original character – while giving Harry and Bess and their family a functional home base, especially after 1953, when the former President and First Lady returned to their home for good.
The Scarritt Renaissance neighborhood is one of the oldest in Kansas City, featuring wooded public park space, the Kansas City Museum, and residences primarily constructed between 1886 and 1915, when affluent families moved from older neighborhoods to Scarritt Point. In the past, the neighborhood association organized historic homes tours and continues to host holiday events, particularly on Halloween. A drive through the neighborhood – and a cruise down Cliff Drive, a scenic byway – not only connects you with historic homes in Kansas City, but also with nature.
Feeling Inspired? Start Your Own Historic Home Renovation in Kansas City
If your home was built during or before World War II, then congratulations! You live in a historic home, and Architectural Craftsmen would be thrilled to help you add modern functionality while maintaining the original character of your home.
Unlike general home renovation teams, Architectural Craftsmen is well-versed in period-appropriate features and architectural design, which means we’re able to help tell the story of your home without compromising its distinctiveness.
See our past work and contact us today to learn more about our processes and craftsmanship during historical home remodeling.
