By Jessica Pack
When we were asked to stage this old Victorian home close to downtown Columbus, we were able to see the house prior to its transformation back into glory. The first time I walked the house, I gotta be honest… it was a complete (de)construction zone but had the makings of something amazing. There were elements that had withstood the test of time… and some that had not.
At first, I wondered what of those original features would remain as the reality of house flipping is what it is: to make money. I secretly said a little prayer that the hardwood floors and ornate trim would still be there when we came back for the stage. That the, albeit it decorative, fireplaces in nearly every room would be in the finished product. I could see in my mind how I would decorate those rooms utilizing those elements. Most of my prayers were answered.
Because of the age of the home, many walls were plaster. The flippers exposed brick in a few rooms and I wanted to highlight these without drilling into them… a “forever” kind of move and so it became a lesson in the art of leaning.
Throughout the house, there were only a few rooms we actually hung art. In most rooms, art was leaned. It was a pleasant surprise that it wasn’t something that stood out as out of the ordinary.
As the movers loaded in the furniture, a last-minute decision was made to rotate the sofa and place it in front of the windows versus the predictable sofa wall. It made all the difference and the room suddenly felt like the gathering place it likely once was back in 1890. Now, however, it was adorned with trendy furniture and electric lamps!
According to the “the google,” electricity started being used in homes around 1882. While I can’t say for certain when electricity was added to 62 Governor’s Place, the outlets that I was plugging lamps into were clearly not there prior. Interesting to think about that. Electricity is an amenity that is our norm but has not always been. So, away I went… plugging in lights… going “Ooooo! Ahhhh” at my handiwork.
When I think about this home as a whole, I loved so much of the house it is hard to pick a favorite space. The kitchen was too cute for words! The 2-room bedroom was a space that no teen with any common sense would ever leave! The third floor with so much going on could easily accommodated a growing family or, as long as they still had good knees, an in-law suite where multi-generations could co-exist. The family room with old school elements that were just cool!
I was tickled with how it all came together. However, the police were probably less tickled when I tripped the alarm getting into the house, but it’s all part of the grander tale of the house on Governor’s Place. Sold in about a week. WooHoo!!!
