An actual ancient treasure, this St. Paul, Minn. home was built for the granddaughter of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow — a famed American poet from the 19th century. Fast forward into the 21st century, and Minnesota architect Charlie Simmons redesigns the kitchen for fresh owners: his brother and sister-in-law.
“Since the home had such history, the priority was making sure any new bit of structure fit seamlessly into the current layout,” Simmons says. Simmons took that a step farther and researched substance and building methods that would have been used during the height of Federal-style layout and building. He and his team worked closely with interior designer Sandy LaMendola of Twist Interior Design to restore each room into a perfect mix of contemporary and traditional.
Charlie & Co.. Design, Ltd
Simmons’ brother has four young children, so the concept of residing in a half-functional house wasn’t particularly attractive, especially to his spouse. At the end she agreed — provided that she had a complete kitchen during the renovation process. So Simmons began in on the kitchen first, combining traditional workmanship with modern appliances. Dovetail joinery was used from the cabinets, and the screen cabinetry was made employing a historical mouth-blown cylinder procedure.
Barstools: Francis King, Ltd
Fabric on barstools: Rear fabric is Eversfield from Stroheim. Chair fabric is Caswell by Kravet
Countertops: Carrara marble
Charlie & Co.. Design, Ltd
The beautiful customized refrigerator cabinet is just one of Simmons’ favorite features. This bit is a replica of a 1780s armoire with hand-carved detailing. Simmons found cast bronze pulls with acorn finials to put towards the front of the fully operational refrigerator.
Charlie & Co.. Design, Ltd
A space towards the rear of the kitchen made the perfect nook for casual dining. The dining table, found at an auction, is a replica of a dining table table used by George Washington’s cousin. 11-foot-high ceilings were shown after old light fixtures were eliminated — the false ceiling was promptly removed, and Simmons embraced the new, lofty space.
Charlie & Co.. Design, Ltd
5-inch red bamboo plank flooring was stained using a mixed walnut color for thickness and visual texture. What was originally the servants’ staircase is right beyond the kitchen.
Appliances: Wolf and Sub-Zero
Lighting: American Brass and Crystal
Charlie & Co.. Design, Ltd
The wall paneling in the dining room was set up using a traditional slip fastening system: No screws are utilized, allowing the wood panels to maneuver with the house as the wood contracts and expands as weather gets colder and warmer.
Table: Duxbury, Ltd..
Chairs: Baker, Knapp & Tubbs
Chandelier: Beveled Arcs Chandelier from Fine Art Lamps
Charlie & Co.. Design, Ltd
Simmons gave the library a traditional look with rich wood paneling made with present old-growth Cypress. Two concealed doors are tucked away in the room: One leads to the kitchen hallway; another leads to a wine room (originally a Prohibition-era wall).
“Every wall, floor, or ceiling we started introduced new challenges,” he says. “Things that would normally be regarded as trivial now, like using a uniform floor joist spacing and direction, weren’t there.”
Rug: Aubry-Angello
Sofa: Antheneum couch from Hickory Chair
Charlie & Co.. Design, Ltd
Initially, some of the rooms were framed in 1 manner, while other rooms were framed and built in a completely different way. The builders were groups of European immigrants using their styles and ways of building items.
Cherry paneling was set up in the living room, giving the room an official look, but also offering a warm glow. Products were carefully selected to fall in line with this historical home’s structure and to last for several years.
Rug: Aubry-Angelo
Couches: Francis King, Ltd and Scherping Westphal
Table lamps: Baker, Knapp & Tubbs
Charlie & Co.. Design, Ltd
A beautiful staircase welcomes people from the entryway. The staircase itself is totally freestanding — neither side is attached to the walls. It is an impressive construction of sturdy ironwork which was the very first residential freestanding steel staircase built in the nation.
Charlie & Co.. Design, Ltd
A mudroom from this entrance was designed for supreme organization. Personal cubbies for each family member keeps things tidy, while a library ladder makes it all easy to get.
Charlie & Co.. Design, Ltd
The master bathroom is a distinctively shaped space — only 6 feet wide by 18 feet long. Simmons made an 11-foot-long period double vanity and makeup channel and used 6 types of Carrara tile here.
Wall colour: Benjamin Moore’s Rockport Gray
Sink: Kohler Memoirs sink and faucet
Charlie & Co.. Design, Ltd
Simmons made hardly any changes to the outside; the look of the home is nearly exactly the same as it was originally intended. The house was built to be 100 percent symmetrical, right down into his-and-her powder rooms on either side of the home.
A home that’s endured so many eras of layout is certain to be full of surprises. Aside from the hidden rooms and false ceilings, Simmons discovered a creek leading into the Mississippi River via a manhole from the basement floor!
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