On The Market: Making an historic home work in Queen Village
For Aldo and Natalie Doria, it's been all about making their historically certified home meet their needs and their aesthetic.
Purchased by Aldo in 2004, he and Natalie began renovations in 2007.
"We worked to find a balance," Natalie said. "We really just tried to take advantage of [original] features, but at the same time take in modern features."
While certification requirements for the home limited what they could do to the exterior, she said the couple was determined to bring more light into the home. They added light fixtures and worked with existing windows and window treatments to both bring in natural light and soften artificial light.
"We tried to bring out the beauty of the home," she said. "And at the same time, merge all the great features."
They also worked to expose brick where they could on the second floor and to make sure each of the home's six fireplaces were functioning.
Fireplaces are found in each of the home's three bedrooms, including the master suite. The suite is made from Venetian plaster, an idea Natalie had while at a restaurant with friends in Tuscany. The plaster extends through the vaulted ceilings up into a lofted area that the couple uses as a dressing area. The master bath is completely modern, including a glass shower.
Natalie said the couple has enjoyed living in Queen Village, where the neighborhood is a mixture of families old and new.
"I think we live on the best block in the city," she said. "The Queen Village Neighborhood Association does phenomenal work. There are playgrounds and parks for kids and for dogs."
Their home is currently listed by Bill Grubb at Berkshire Hathaway Fox & Roach for $742,000.
Natalie said she thinks the mixture of modern aesthetics and period detailing is likely to attract new buyers.
"It's got the new and the old," she said.
The couple is currently looking for a new home with a little more space than the 1,980-square-foot property in Queen Village.
"I grew up in the suburbs and I'd like to mow the lawn again," she said.