Homes built long ago are like time capsules of architecture and style, preserving one-of-a-kind structures from the past. Restoring historic homes is one of Marvelous Woodworking’s specialties. We love studying and recreating the past styles you cannot find in stores and catalogues anymore. Our projects range from repairing existing furniture or architectural details to making new pieces that match the home’s original look.
One of our biggest restoration projects was at the Parry Mansion in central Indianapolis, built around 1900. We worked throughout the house, but our greatest challenge was reconstructing the conservatory windows, French doors and alcove area. Our design was based on careful research of the house’s period style as there were no photographs of the original conservatory, and some of its detailed features had crumbled away. Research is always an important step in our design process—not only do we reference historical pictures, we also take design cues from the rest of the house’s architecture, original furniture and cabinetry.
When we restore something, we strive to make it better than before. Here we were able to recreate the beams out of poplar wood, a material that would last longer and be more stable than the original plaster medium.
There is always an aspect of ingenuity involved in restoration. For the conservatory windows, the design called for curving arches; we had to create our own process to build these curves. After drawing a template of the existing arches, we created a mold from which we would shape the trim. We used a steam-bending chamber to moisten the wood to make it pliable. This heated trim was bent over the molds and cooled to form.
Working in historic homes means we get all sorts of projects. This smaller piece we did for the Benjamin Harrison House in Indianapolis’ Old Northside Historic District, required little work compared to the extensive Parry Mansion project. However, research and attention to detail was still crucial. The Benjamin Harrison house is owned by a museum foundation that keeps it open for tours. They wanted two wooden stands to hold signs for visitors, and they wanted the stands to look original to the home. We visited the house to get a feel for the period style. A chair original to the house had lovely detail which we carried over into our design of the decorative top of the signs. We built the pieces using a special white oak, which was the type of wood used throughout the rest of the house.
Historic restoration takes a practiced eye and a flexible, masterly approach to woodworking. Older homes pose unique challenges, ones we enjoy tackling and creating equally unique solutions to. Looking for a historic renovation expert, or need custom period-pieces built? Send us an email or give us a call at 317.679.5890.
