DESIGN POINT
RESTORATION
Saving a Fort Victorian
RESTORING HISTORY IN A FIX-AND-FLIP PROJECT
by Marla Roberds
ost of the houses I flip look like something out of a slash-
wedding gift for Thomas McKnight’s daughter in the once-booming small town of West Fork, AR, it is a beauti- ful example of a Fort Victorian Farm- house. The lines are classic, subtly ornate, with high ceilings and large bedrooms. When built, it had an outhouse, large porches, and a small kitchen. Over time, as the ownership changed, so did the interior style. Signs of the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s were everywhere! The challenge was keeping what worked, updating what didn’t, and turning it into a home that a modern family, with a taste for the past, would love.
was to research the type of house I bought. What was it really supposed to look like? Was it supposed to be colorful like the other Victorians I had seen? I had never heard of a Fort Victorian Farmhouse, so was thrilled to discover the simplicity of the design. I hired the contractor and painter who tested for lead. Happily, it was lead-free. My next step was finding the right color of white for the body of the house. It took 12 samples, painted on differ- ent areas of the house for lighting quality, to finally land on Snowbound by Sherwin-Williams. To add a pop of color for the exterior, I chose Red Door Red by Sherwin-Williams for the front door. Like the white, I also tested several different reds. For
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er-horror film. They are old, neglect - ed, and sad. But seeing the treasure beyond the trash is something I find as easy as breathing. When I walk through a house and share my vision with my friends and colleagues, they often say, “How can you see that?” My response is, “How can you not?” While house hunting with my parents as a child, my mom would walk into a house and immediately start pointing out everything she would change and how she would do it. I could see what she saw. It has served me well over the years. The McKnight house was one of my first historic houses to remod - el and restore. Built in 1885 as a
BEGINWITH RESEARCH My first step toward renovation
82 | think realty magazine :: october 2020
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