7 Classic Colonials Revamped for Today

1. A 1970s Colonial Goes Open-Concept in New Jersey

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their daughter and son
Location: Princeton, New Jersey
Size: Five bedrooms, four bathrooms
Year built: 1970s; remodeling plans began in 2010

This 1970s colonial-style home was in a great neighborhood on a 2-acre lot, but it needed an update to accommodate the family’s lifestyle. Architect Catherine Knight of Knight Architects made over the home, creating a more open layout and adding a second entry into a mudroom.

The new mudroom features cubbies for shoes and bags, and a desk for collecting mail and dealing with the administrative tasks of running a household.

BEFORE: The living room and kitchen were closed off from one another.

AFTER: The architect designed a new open floor plan; the entire dining area, from the French doors to the columns, is a new addition. Originally, the couple planned it as a breakfast nook, but they discovered that they like to use it for all occasions. The kids can hang out close by in the family room.

French doors and transoms: Marvin

The kitchen lies just off the dining area and the family room. The double doors on the left open to a hall leading to a full guest bath; the double doors at right lead to a pantry. The 11-foot island can fit the whole family, with plenty of room for homework on one side and food prep on the other.

Countertops: Absolute Black granite with leather finish

Read more about this New Jersey Colonial ♦︎

2. A Makeover Fits a Family’s Lifestyle in Georgia

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of five
Location: Decatur, Georgia
Size: 5,500 square feet (511 square meters); five bedrooms, three bathrooms
Year built: 1918; renovated in the 1970s, ’90s and 2012.

This 1918 Colonial had been renovated at least twice, but the living spaces still were more closed off from one another than the owners liked. They hired architect and interior designer Ili Nilsson of Terracotta Design Build, who created a plan with a family room and open-concept kitchen, a mudroom, first-floor guest bedroom and second-floor master suite.

The formal parlor on the front side of the house retains its original structure, as does the adjoining front entry. But the owners selected furniture with modern lines here, setting the stage for an old-meets-new aesthetic, which carries through the home.

Sofa, coffee table and side table: Room & Board; wire lamp: Wisteria; window treatments: West Elm

The owners demolished the kitchen, and rebuilt and reconfigured the space, opening it to the newly added family room. The kitchen island of hackberry wood and Arctic White Corian counters has smooth lines, a contrast with the traditional cabinets. The traditional cabinetry honors the home’s roots, while the modern island pulls the room forward in time.

Cabinets: Hinckley, Home Depot; china cabinets: Gabby; pendant lights: Home Depot

The new family room, part of the addition to the home, lies just off the kitchen.

Read more about this Georgia home ♦︎

3. A Former Andover Dorm Gets Rebuilt for a Family

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Jim and Robin Buhrer, their two children, and their Labradoodle, Bartlett
Location: Andover, Massachusetts
Size: About 5,500 square feet (511 square meters), plus 2,100 square feet (195 square meters) of decking, on 3.4 acres; six bedrooms, five bathrooms
Year built: 1906

This 1906 Colonial-style home was a Phillips Academy dorm in the 1960s and housing for Andover’s A Better Chance scholarship program in the 1970s before it became home to a retired art teacher. A few years ago, Jim Buhrer, owner of Refined Renovations, persuaded the former teacher to sell him the property even though it wasn’t on the market. The Buhrers hired architect Rob Bramhall, and Jim served as general contractor. Fifteen months later, the home was ready for the Buhrers to move in.

The Buhrers are active in their community and wanted their home to maintain a connection to its history with Phillips Academy and the scholarship program. They wanted their space to work for their family every day, as well as for hosting holiday and fundraiser events.

Jim basically rebuilt the home inside and out — including all the porches — and turned the unfinished basement into a two-bedroom suite that includes a bath, wine room and kitchenette. The unfinished attic transformed into two bedrooms and a bath. The house was not insulated, so Jim added spray-foam insulation throughout. He also replaced the windows and gave the home a new roof.

Here, the living room shows the family’s old-plus-new aesthetic, with luxe millwork set off by more contemporary furnishings and art. Interior designer Nancy Boughton worked on many rooms in the home.

Millwork: Refined Renovations; oil painting above couch: Peter Roux; paisley chairs: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; coffee table: Restoration Hardware; leather-stitched rug: Stark Carpet; sectional: Arhaus Furniture

4. A Historic California Home Sets the Stage for Parties and Art

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Michelle Pettigrew, Jerry Kaplan, their four daughters and pets
Location: Hillsborough, California
Size: Main house, 10,000 square feet (929 square meters); seven bedrooms, 7½ bathrooms. Guesthouse, 2,500 square feet (232 square meters); two bedrooms, 1½ bathrooms. Lot size, 1 acre
Year built: 1904

Michelle Pettigrew and Jerry Kaplan purchased this home in 2000 from owners who had lived in it for 35 years. The 1904 mansion was built by architect George H. Howard, considered the founding father of the city of Hillsborough and the designer of the nearby Burlingame Railroad Station (California Registered Historical Landmark No. 846) and Kohl Mansion. Pettigrew and Kaplan hired architect John Stewart of Stewart Associates to update the space. They opened up the layout, installed new electrical and fire sprinklers, and revamped the garden.

Prolific entertainers, the couple have hosted as many as 300 guests in their home for birthdays, neighborhood parties and themed events like a casino night, and the home’s layout and decor reflect the goal of entertaining. It’s also a ready place to display their eclectic collection of art. It was important to Pettigrew that the decor reflect her family’s love of fun.

Owners of the home in the 1930s built this formal dining room as part of a major remodel, bringing this detailed ceiling from a castle in Spain. When Pettigrew and Kaplan bought the house, the ceiling needed an update to meet modern building code.

Buffet: San Francisco Antique and Design Mall; hutch: Collective Antiques (now closed); curtains: Smith & Noble

Fire sprinklers that meet modern building standards are barely detectable, disguised in the ceiling’s medallions.

BEFORE: Here is how the kitchen looked at the time of purchase, with 1970s finishes, including plywood cabinets, a dropped ceiling and fluorescent lighting.

AFTER: The owners remodeled the kitchen to make it more accessible from other rooms — allowing the cook to be closer to family as well as party guests. The sink now overlooks the garden, and everything has been updated.

The owners converted the former library into a billiards room, with family and guest fun in mind. The sculpture beneath the windows is a work of American artist Fletcher Benton.

Window treatments: Smith & Noble

Read more about this California home ♦︎

Photos by Laura Moss

5. A Decorator Adds the Icing to a Colonial Revival

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of four
Location: Northern New Jersey
Size: Six bedrooms, 4½ bathrooms

Interior designer Jules Duffy decorated this Colonial Revival home in northern New Jersey with a mix of pieces from the owners’ previous main home and their beach house, making over a few of the existing pieces and electing some new pieces. She touched only a few walls with paint and kept the existing wallpapers in place. These owners had good luck: When they bought the house, it had already been beautifully renovated by the sellers.

Most of the kitchen details were in place, including the marble-topped island, which is dropped to a comfortable height for baking.

Read more about this New Jersey home ♦︎

6. A 1940s Colonial in Texas Becomes a Happy Family Home

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Steve and Katie Aldrich, and their two daughters
Location: University Park, Texas
Size: 4,500 square feet (418 square meters); four bedrooms, 4½ bathrooms

Katie and Steve Aldrich bought this house near Dallas with a goal of turning it into a cozy, happy place to raise their children. To achieve a layout that worked for their family’s lifestyle, they pulled down walls and rearranged the living spaces. The exterior got a makeover with new windows, a stone entry and a fresh coat of paint.

Architect Will Snyder used the structural support system to determine the home’s new floor plan, which now flows from living room to kitchen. The bookshelves display prized family antiques, including plates, Staffordshire dogs, Imari vases and books.

Sofas: Lee Industries; rug: Interior Resources; coffee table: Armoires & More; side tables: Wisteria; chairs: Mary Beth Wagner

Originally, the kitchen was set toward the back of what is now this open area, but the owners decided to flip the layout to create the combined space.

Paint: Winter Orchard, Benjamin Moore, with 25 percent white added

The kitchen’s gentle palette was inspired by one of Kate’s favorite designers, Sally Wheat.

Bar stools: Cost Plus World Market; pendant lights: Visual Comfort; millwork paint: Silver Song, Benjamin Moore, with 25 percent white added; island cabinet paint: Fieldstone, Benjamin Moore; range: KitchenAid

Read more about this Texas home ♦︎

7. A Lakeside Retreat Welcomes Children and Grandkids

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Paul and Barbara Barnish
Location: Hopatcong, New Jersey
Size: 3,000 square feet (279 square meters); four bedrooms, four bathrooms

Paul and Barbara Barnish added a new wing to their 1920s Colonial-style home, including an open living room, and renovated the master suite and kitchen. They also renovated an extra bedroom used when their grandchildren visit.

The sunroom, which boasts a fantastic view of Lake Hopatcong, also serves as a playroom for the grandkids.

The new open layout connects the dining area to the kitchen.

A wall used to divide the kitchen from the dining area right here. Thanks to its removal, the homeowners can now enjoy views of the lake while they work in the kitchen. The granite countertop creates a practical space for Barbara, who enjoys baking and spending time in the kitchen.

Although they opened up the floor plan, the Barnishes kept the original cabinetry. To make up for storage space lost when they removed two walls, Paul designed a walk-in pantry.

The enlarged living room features a stone fireplace and channels a cozy library vibe. Paul made several of the wooden pieces. The couple added the fireplace as well as the built-in wooden shelves and cabinets.

The upstairs master bedroom was enlarged in the renovation. The chimney rests just beyond the bed; it extends up from the living room’s stone fireplace.

Read more about this lakefront home ♦︎

More: Roots of Style: Colonial Revivals Span Eras and Forms