Historical Beauty Meets Modern Functionality

I have a confession to make.  I am a geek when it comes to history; especially historical architecture.  Walking through old buildings, churches, barns, and homes and seeing the variation between then and now is exciting to me.  Many of mine and Richard’s times away as a couple involves visiting Biltmore Estate located in our own state of North Carolina.  Oh, if those old walls could talk; they would tell us so many things.  They would speak of times of love, joy, peace, heartache, difficult decisions made in the wee hours, hard work, and loss.  Undoubtedly, they would describe the families, workers, guests, and all who passed through.  Not to mention they give a great description of the trends of their times; the style of their day.

Two Great Loves

Recently I ran across an article from Realtor.com regarding a purchase made by the beloved Chip and Joanna Gaines.  Of course, my interest is peaked any time I come across news regarding the Gaines family.  However, the remainder of the title had me hook, line, and sinker.  Chip and Joanna Gaines Buy a Castle That Could Do Them In…  While the title seems to project disaster, the very concept of the renovation experts restoring a castle is, to me, the perfect combination.  I particularly enjoy the fact that the Gaines’ restore homes in their very own home town, Waco, Texas.  This castle is no exception.   Through renovation, they are impacting the lives of the people there.  If they do as the article predicts and create a bed a breakfast in that castle, I just may have to take a trip there myself.

Historical Beauty and Modern Functionality

This is one reason I love our local towns of Youngsville and Wake Forest .  They go to great measures to preserve our old buildings and give them new life.  Wake Forest works hard to oversee the restoration of the homes and buildings in the Historic District.  The town planners also incorporate this area into many community activities such as the Christmas Historic Home Tour and the July 4th Parade.  They maintain a balance in the downtown area between moving ahead into the 21st century and having a tremendous appreciation of the past.  Youngsville does the same.  Take a look at some  old photos of the town.  You can still see those same places as you stroll through the downtown area today.  They have been restored to their original beauty but now have the functional features needed in an up and coming town.

So whether you are remodeling a hundred year old castle or a twenty year old kitchen, some things stay the same.  Similarly to the way we design-build, the authentic style of the historical space has to be carefully intertwined with its current purpose and function, while giving meticulous attention to the fine details.