As they searched for a new place to call home, Shawn and Kristine Safford discovered Roanoke had practically everything they wanted, right down to a historic house to renovate and make their own.
Note: The story below appears in our Jan./Feb. 2015 issue. For the full story download our FREE iOS app or view our digital edition for FREE today!
William Mahone
The Move
When Shawn Safford, a pediatric surgeon at Carilion Clinic, finished his obligations to the Navy, he and wife Kristine had their first opportunity to choose where they wanted to live.
“Between his military and medical training, we’ve always been told where to go,” Kristine says. “Since we could pick, we really looked extensively for a new home.”
City life? Check. Cultural opportunities? Check. Outdoor activities? Check. Friendly residents? Check. Yes, almost every box on their must-have list was checked off in Roanoke, Kristine says.
Just as important, she adds, was the opportunity to own an older home. Though they were torn between living in the mountains or having a lot of land, the appeal of South Roanoke was hard to resist. After choosing their home, it was evident they had found the best of both worlds, and more.
“We have a nice sizeable yard and Shawn is close to work,” Kristine says. “The contrast (with their former home in Washington, D.C.) is impressive. We spend less time in the car and are able to do so much more in a smaller city.”
The House
The Saffords’ home was built in 1914 by Charles Lunsford and was later sold to the Andrews family, who made a few modern upgrades to accommodate their five children. With four children of their own, the Saffords appreciate the two shower stalls in the children’s bathroom and the huge attic space that serves as a playroom.
They also love the history and character of the home. And with what Kristine calls an “eclectic style,” the couple find the home to be the perfect setting for antiques and consignment-shop finds.
At the same time, the home was in need of some renovations to add some modern amenities and repair damage to the walls and ceiling. But with the help of Building Specialists Inc., the Saffords made every effort to also preserve the history of the home and choose things that stayed true to its era.
The Renovation
“It was wonderful to work with clients who wanted to keep the historic character of the home intact,” says Ellie Rigby, project manager for Building Specialists.
According to Rigby, older homes can come with many “unknowns” when it comes to renovating. Luckily, she says, the Safford home was extremely well built.
Renovations included modernizing the kitchen, creating an open living space near the kitchen, transforming an area into a mudroom, updating wiring to bring the home into the modern century, adding an entryway and taking care of cosmetic needs.
What They Did: The Kitchen
The home was originally equipped with a very small kitchen, which Krisitine says was used only by servants and butlers at the time it was built. It connected to a room that was added as a screened porch and later became an all-season room.
The original kitchen became a pantry. Where the kitchen appliances are located now was a solid wall beforehand. Portions of the wall between the new kitchen and the all-season room were knocked down to create an open space.
“The area felt like three completely different spaces and had a choppy feel,” Kristine says. “We wanted one giant, cohesive area.”
The Saffords enjoyed picking out materials for the kitchen. They went to a quarry to choose soapstone for the countertops and traveled to North Carolina for hardwood floors.
To maintain historic elements, the couple added a wood stove to tie into what the original kitchen may have had, Kristine says, and kept brick columns between the kitchen and all-season room intact and exposed. For a modern twist, they added a chalkboard, which serves as a “family message center.”
What They Did: The Mudroom
“I just had to have a mudroom,” Kristine says.
While living in Maryland during Shawn’s Navy stint, their home had a front door leading to a nice foyer. But with four kids dumping their “stuff” when they got home, the area made it hard to hide piles of tennis shoes, jackets and school supplies. Their new mudroom features plenty of shelving, cubby holes and hooks for storage at the end of the day.
“With the mudroom, I can just close it off and hide it all when company comes,” Kristine says.
What They Did: Painting & Plastering
While the kitchen was the main focus of the renovation, the Saffords also tackled the walls and ceilings throughout the entire home.
“Walls in almost every room had peeling wallpaper (some were many layers) or cracked walls,” Kristine says.
They kept some existing wallpaper, but most walls, ceilings and trim got complete overhauls. Ceilings and walls were either re-plastered or received a skim coat to smooth out the cracks, and were painted.
What They Did: Odds & Ends
To make the kitchen area even more functional, a door replaced a window to become a new entryway.
“They needed an entrance that was welcoming and obvious,” says Rigby.
Additionally, the Saffords kept as many original light fixtures – including some chandeliers – as possible, moving them to other rooms if need be.
“Her selections for new light fixtures (when needed) were very much in keeping with the personality of house,” Rigby says.
A downstairs bathroom needed minor repairs, including new tile on the floor and a new toilet.
Existing doors were refurbished to function properly and doors in the sitting room off the master bedroom that were covered in wallpaper were removed and replaced to closely match the originals.
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