When we think home renovations, we tend to think big. And, true enough, usually the word is used to imply demolition, re-builds, and the use of rather sharp, heavy equipment.
But when speaking of renovations, let’s not forget the little things … the details that go in to updating a home, adding even more personality to those really major changes that alter how a space functions.
Many of the homes featured on this month’s Renovator’s Home Tour: Threshold to Change show just how important details are.
Rachel Williams, a Lititz homeowner and Home Tour participant, can wow you with her DIY skills. (She can operate that sharp, heavy equipment.) But after you get over the cabinets she built or the mudroom she constructed, your eyes catch the details. There’s her grandmother’s sewing mannequin, standing elegantly next to a family room chair. And her personal flower arrangements that line the beautiful new kitchen island. And the vinyl curtains (yes, we said vinyl) that are ready to protect the inside of a screened-in porch--and its inhabitants--during rainstorms. Genius.
Those with older homes often honor their homes’ history by showcasing pieces or room elements from yesteryear. Marisa Morgan gathered the old keys that she found in her 1910 home and had them framed for her living room. Adair and Jeff Witmer’s 1830s home has all the surprises that older homes tend to have. So no surprise that they discovered two deep wells outside their home, one in their patio area. They designed covers in a way that they can access the wells to show people. In Adair’s words, one well is so huge that it “looks like the Caribbean sea when you shine a light down in it!”
And then there are personal treasures. These are the things we find in life that make us smile, no matter what the value is. Home Tour participant Jerry Vath likes to instill a little bit of Christmas in every room of his home. Guests can’t help but search for the festive pieces and decorations. Steven Shapiro and Patrick Stambaugh have a love for antiques and Amish textiles, which they display throughout their 1900 townhouse.
So let’s give a big shout-out to those little details. The help turn a house into a home.
Big changes and small details are available to see first-hand at this year’s Renovator’s Home Tour on Sunday, September 25 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www.RenovatorsHomeTour.com or at Penn Stone, David Lyall Home & Design and Lancaster Habitat ReStore. Advanced purchase is recommended.