Wellesley Renovation

The center portion of this National Register property dates from 1732, but had undergone a number of additions and modifications during the 19th and 20th centuries, most significantly in 1938, when the house was disassembled and moved to its current location. At that time, the new owner undertook a conjectural restoration of the building to its 18th century appearance, stripping painted surfaces to bare wood, adding pine paneling, and leaded-glass bow windows. An older addition on the east was removed, and two new wings were added, a screen porch on the south and a service/kitchen wing on the north. Wellesley College acquired the property in 2011, by which time it needed a complete renovation. The two 1938 wings were removed and rebuilt, replacing the screen porch with an office, and expanding the service wing to include a modern kitchen, family space, garage, mudroom, and laundry. The heavy timber structure was stabilized, The HVAC was upgraded reusing existing ductwork, new electrical and plumbing system installed, and the antique single pane windows improved with the addition of interior storm windows. The most complex aspect of the project was the restoration of the panelling, which had been stripped with lye in 1938, and were too chemically alkali to paint and had to be chemically neutralized before being returned to their original painted finish. All interior finishes and furnishings in the main spaces were designed as part of the project.
Catherine Truman was the Project Architect for this project while at Ann Beha Architects.
Photos by Peter Vanderwarker