This top-to-bottom renovation transformed a 1905 Queen Anne Victorian in Wauwatosa Village while protecting the craftsmanship that made the home special. Work extended throughout the kitchen, living spaces, finished attic, basement, primary bathroom, secondary bathroom, and first-floor powder room. The homeowners wanted greater comfort and functionality but also valued the home’s natural fireplaces, quarter-sawn woodwork, built-in cabinetry, original windows, and Victorian character. Story Hill Renovations carefully repaired historic elements and introduced period-appropriate details so the updated rooms feel connected to the original architecture. The attic changed from unfinished storage into usable living space with refinished floors and a second staircase that provides improved egress. In the basement, repairs and refinishing renewed the concrete floors, while fresh paint brightened the walls and ceilings. Restored windows, authentic vintage lighting, and coordinated finishes carry a consistent design language from floor to floor, allowing modern improvements to feel natural within this century-old Wauwatosa home.
The reimagined kitchen brings performance to the historic home through new cabinetry, countertops, appliances, lighting, and fixtures. Deep green cabinets contrast with white walls, while beadboard and painted Victorian window and door trim reinforce the home’s style. Stained cabinetry surrounding the refrigerator matches the dining room woodwork, creating a connection between old and new. The renovation also overhauled three bathrooms. In the primary bathroom, the room was taken down to the studs and rebuilt with an arched walk-in shower, frameless glass doors, dark green subway tile, and patterned flooring. A secondary bathroom retained its tub while receiving new flooring, cabinetry, and lighting. The powder room returned to its original configuration with beadboard paneling and period-appropriate wallpaper. Together, these updates demonstrate how a large-scale historic home renovation can improve function, safety, and livability without erasing the architectural details and sense of history that make an older home worth preserving.
