A West Chester family has successfully renovated their historic home while preserving its antique roots, writes Terri Akman for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
In 2020, Jessica and Parker Stanhagen looked to remodel their antique home, originally built in 1873. Now over 150 years old, the original layout of the Stanhagen’s home was not ideal for a family with young children.
The family worked with West Chester’s COCOON Remodeling to complete the renovations over the course of two and a half months later that year.
According to COCOON Remodeling President Chris Payson, the older a historic home is, the more complex a home might be to remodel, as previous owners often renovate or add new features of their own.
In renovating the Stanhangen’s three-story home, COCOON completely replaced the home’s walls, ceilings, and floors—and found new historic features along the way.
During construction, the Stanhagens discovered exposed ceiling beams and exposed brick walls, along with a gas line that served the home’s original gas lamps.
The Stanhagens chose to keep the historic ceiling beams and stained new flooring to match the original floors. The family also chose to add new custom doors with textured glass, adding a fresh twist to the home’s historic charm.
Read more about the Stanhagen family’s renovation of their historic West Chester home in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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