Church becomes a dream home
The majority of individuals like becoming engaged in renovation work, but they aren’t always able to do it on a huge scale. There are probably many motivational posts to be found as you go throughout your Instagram account. Nevertheless, there aren’t many that are as motivating as what Anastasiia and Gunther have posted.
That Maryland family made the decision to transform a structure into a residence. Unless you learned that they had paid $320,000 for a 120-year-old church, it wasn’t particularly uncommon. The program takes them two and a half years to finish, but the result is a perfect house unlike anything.
Gunther is a research scientist, whereas Anastasiia has teaching experience. They were shocked to discover a for sale sign in front of the All Saints cathedral as they were traveling along a street close to their house. They weren’t just shocked; they were also inspired.
As according Simplemost, Anastasiia remarked, ”I think it was just like love for the first time; it’s impossible to identify precisely what makes our hearts skip a bit, but it did so, in heaps.” ”Among many other features, including lovely woodwork, multicolored light coming through the ancient stained – glass windows, the medieval arches of the doors and windows, and simply the general impression that it was supposed to be ours,” the author says of the majesty of the place.
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Henry Martyn Congdon, a New York-based designer, created the All Saints cathedral. This structure was constructed between 1900 and 1901; the former church had burned down in 1899.
The same designer also created St. Luke’s Cathedral in Germantown, Pennsylvania, Calvary Cathedral and Parish Church in Summit, New Jersey, and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, according to Philadelphia Architects and Structures.
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The Big Room’s 20 foot high vaulted ceilings and two skylights immediately captured Gunther’s heart. He was hooked the moment he exited the master bedroom onto the balcony and peered down into the Great Room. ”I pictured the major family occasions and also the gatherings with relatives and the neighborhood,” he said to Simplemost.
He still checks out the Big Room from the balcony virtually each day, according to Anastasiia.
Obviously, buying a cathedral to convert into a residence wasn’t all that usual. To convince the real estate agents that they were purchasing it as a specialty property, it required numerous examinations and paperwork. Mold and insects were only two of the issues it encountered.
An internet bank with headquarters in Missouri was employed to cut costs.
Anastasiia told Simplemost, ”All I did during the buying process was worry about whether or not we would get it.
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The couple gave the church the new name ”All Saints House” after purchasing it. They then started the extensive renovation. Since it hadn’t been climate controlled for four years, this also involved sanitizing the space for the first two weeks.
Anastasiia gives her hubby a lot of credit and they conclude that they feel like they learnt a lot. On Insta, she even referred to him as a ”incredible man.”
Although the house underwent extensive renovations on both the inside and the outside, they made an effort to maintain its distinctive personality.
As according Simplemost, Anastasiia commented, ”All of them have done a great job in keeping the charm of the house while remaining respectful during the course of their past modifications.” ”No original aspects were harmed or replaced, and all extensions were constructed around the core ones, making it possible for them to conceivably be eliminated at any time without affecting the house’s structural stability.”
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The house’s entrance doors’ lead paint was removed with a Franmar ”Blue Bear” acid remover. The doors were wonderfully repaired despite the need of protective masks to avoid breathing hazardous gases.
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The outside was similarly coated in two different gray tones. The homeowners originally went with gray instead of the customary white color, but they’re still debating repainting it red with white trim!
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They also put a lot of effort into conserving the stained glass. They paid close attention to keeping the prior improvements’ historical authenticity. They add certain amenities and do their best to make it comfortable.
The stained glass windows won’t be removed, despite this.
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The majority of the furnishings in the All Saints Home is sourced from vintage and thrift shops. They make an effort to maintain the architectural style that is most closely related to the house’s initial model.
There is one item that Anastasiia really loves, and that is the dining room furniture. She claims that they bought it as soon as they moved in.
Obviously, the kitchen required a lot of labor and was difficult. She was pregnant and in her third trimester when they were remodeling the kitchen. She concludes that it was ultimately well worth it.
Anastasiia also looked to her father for guidance, particularly when it came to remodeling the kitchen.
Gunther told the site, ”I’m grateful that my father-in-law is a Russian excellent artisan and end cabinetmaker and furnishings builder. He truly rescued us on the kitchen renovation.
Anastasiia became engaged despite being pregnant. She wore a mask for further safety, and they did use low VOC.
The completed kitchen is their preferred space, so they decided to have their pregnancy photos taken there.
Even though the final result is stunning, it did require a lot of work, and everything didn’t come altogether right away. To cut costs, they did a lot of the work themselves.
The general principle is that everyone’s philosophy is that ”no-jobs-too-small, with the exception of yours,” according to Gunther. ”We live in a neighborhood of extremely concentrated wealth, with thousands of beachfront homes and farms.” It would be expensive to hire someone else to complete the work, such as the roofing. She wrote on Instagram, ”We want to build it ourselves after obtaining some brain quotations ($100k for a simple asphalt shingle roof!).”
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For the kids, there is a jumping wall and roof. They currently have two teens and a baby.
According to Anastasiia, who spoke with Simplemost, ”They admire the originality of the home.” ”And the reality that it is a family-wide undertaking. It’s fantastic that we are traveling together on this adventure!
Gunther continued, ”It has been a change from the little French country farmhouse style of our old residence. The vast backyard woodlands and river out back, though, are a welcome change for them.
They also produced a few unanticipated shocks. A brick walkway that was buried at the front door was among them. It was delighted when they discovered it because it was precisely what they would have chosen. Their son dismantled the stones, installed some French drains, and then replaced them with the actual bricks.
It takes a great deal of additional work every day on top of all the work they already did on the house. Cleaning the house requires a lot of work, which was made harder by the presence of a baby.
They have a wireless vacuum, which is one of the essential items of hardware they have because it can move freely around the house.
As a result of the large house’s size and proximity to a forested region, she added, ”Flying squirrels, birds, bats, and reptiles are regular guests.”The home needs a lot of everyday upkeep.”
Their eldest child’s nursery renovation was still on the agenda. The doors had been partially refinished, but once she ”ran out of steam,” she soon discovered she was expecting.
They were prepared to take out the insulation and flooring so they could start over, according to an Instagram post about the nursery’s development.
They took a break after the birth of their third kid to love the new addition. She is ”enthusiastic about developing an English yard with a boxwood evergreen labyrinth and a big stone patio for summer events,” and they still have a lot of future plans.
Also on the agenda was a tower renovation.
”Consider replacing those vents with 10 to 13 foot tall, floor to ceiling transparent glass windows!” On Insta, Gunther posted.
An old church might be compared to purchasing a piece of history. There are many areas of the house that can be updated while yet respecting the historical architecture. That features the great room fireplaces and a grand piano that was formerly used in a cathedral.
All Saints Home was attractively furnished and prepared for the 2019 holiday period.
Smaller items and baubles, according to Anastasiia, ”get lost in the majesty of this space.”
Anastasiia and Gunther are prepared to put in more effort and are committed to the task at hand. They estimate that the rehabilitation process will take them up to 10 years.
