What’s old is new again

A brick patio connects the main house and the charming guest cottage. Photo by Timothy P. Bailey

At the back of the property sits what was once a one-car garage adjacent to the main house. Already in good shape structurally, the garage was moved behind the house and onto a new poured foundation. White barn doors and a cupola were added, and the structure is now used for storage. The homeowner says it will eventually be used as a kids play area, and might one day be converted into a pool house should they install a pool.

These possibilities for the future were certainly a draw for the husband-and-wife homeowners, who live full time in Atlanta with their two children, when they purchased the property last September. With the 2,300-square-foot main house plus the guest cottage, the homeowner says the property is ideal for hosting visiting relatives. “All of our family lives in the Northeast, and when we come up to the Cape that’s when we see our families,” she says, “so we’re really looking forward to spending time with them when we’re there.”

The couple was also drawn to the open layout and classic coastal style of the house, which came fully furnished. “We loved the idea of having the charatcer of an older home but having everything renovated to a high standard that suited our style. Everything’s brand new, but it still feels like it’s an older, historic house,” the homeowner says. “We like the layout and the way the kitchen is open to the sitting area—we spent a lot of time in there over the holidays, between the kitchen and sitting in front of the fire.”

As a new family now makes memories at 61 School Street, Smith is proud that he and his team were able to revitalize the property. “It’s definitely gratifying,” he says. “We’ve saved something and created out of it a home for generations to come.”