The Story of the Kennedy

Built in 1911, This is a classic American Four Square—once a railroad executive’s home in 1911, then split into a duplex sometime mid-century. We chose to keep it as a duplex, a nod to its layered history and a way to optimize its usage for families today.

These twin homes carried more than a century of history within their walls—and plenty of wear. When we first walked in, they were frozen in time: plaster cracked and sagging, cloth-wrapped aluminum wiring, cast iron pipes groaning with age, and floors that sloped like a roller coaster. The bones were strong, but the years had taken their toll.

So we did what we’ve always done: took it down to the studs and started fresh.

On the Kennedy side, from the kitchen back is entirely new. On the Lincoln side, everything from the living room back was rebuilt. We peeled off four inches of thick mud stucco, uncovering the original siding hidden for decades. What everyone thought was gone forever turned out to be waiting underneath—weathered but proud, just like the house itself.

Inside, we gave these homes new life without losing their soul. Seven-piece crown molding now crowns the high ceilings, adding depth and elegance. Old door knobs were reinstalled, because sometimes the smallest details carry the most charm. Bathrooms were relocated for modern flow, and in the Lincoln, we claimed the attic space to expand its story.

It wasn’t easy—our crew came down from Northern Virginia, family and friends pitched in, and together we pulled off what felt impossible. The result? A home that honors its past while standing tall for the next hundred years.

The Lincoln and the Kennedy aren’t just houses. They’re proof that with vision, sweat, and respect for history, you can take what’s worn and forgotten and make it whole again.