30 Historic Home Remodels to Inspire Your Own Renovation

Take a look at a variety of gorgeous historic home remodels, including even a few castles, to inspire your own renovation.

30 Historic Home Remodels to Inspire Your Own Renovation

Happy couple talking while painting their new apartment.

There is a growing trend in renovating historic homes to make them new. Millennials and younger generations are especially drawn to remodeling historic houses because many are priced out of the market for newer homes.

What’s more, scrolling through photos of said homes has even been called “therapeutic” by realty sites like Apartment Therapy. And Instagram and Pinterest have made it easy to find plenty to flip through, as renovators use social media to document their journey, create an online community of like-minded people and inspire others to follow in their footsteps.

Buying old houses can be a way of connecting with the past and deepening a family or individual’s connection with their community or with the architectural history of their region or country. But for those who become serial renovators, it can quickly turn into a business opportunity, “flipping” houses for resale or to be used as rental properties. With the skills learned making over a house, some people even go on to set up consultancies or online businesses in interior design or homewares or even write books about renovating a historic building.

Here, we take a look at a variety of gorgeous historic home remodels, including even a few castles, to inspire your own renovation. (Or at least be soothed by the dream of someday doing so.)

30. Rhode Island Victorian

Location: Cranston, Rhode Island

Built in: 1878

Renovation date: 2018 - 2020

Time spent on renovation: 2 years

Cost of renovation: N/A

The Remodel Story

When Carli and Justin Alves first saw the 19th century Victorian house in Cranston, they were looking for a quick “flip” project, not a substantial one. However, when the couple saw the hardwood floors, 10-foot ceilings and original medallions and molding, they could see the potential in the house.

The Alves hired professionals to do the plumbing and wiring, and did the rest of the renovation work themselves. The couple have since moved onto a new fixer-upper, a 1945 Colonial house. Carli keeps track of their home projects on her popular Instagram account. She also volunteers with other home decor bloggers to makeover low-income Habitat for Humanity homes.

29. Petworth Row House

Location: Washington, D.C.

Built in: 1921

Renovation date: 2010 - 2016

Time spent on renovation: 6 years

Cost of renovation: N/A

The Remodel Story

Steve and Rachel Davis bought an old row house in Petsworth, a green, leafy area in Washington, D.C. They decided to hire contractors for much of the major work, such as excavating the basement, plumbing and electrical work, and do many of the smaller projects themselves.

Steve had worked for building companies in high school and college and could repair decking, the porch, stairs, windows, fences and do much of the woodwork himself. The pair also did the yardwork and painting themselves. The couple maintained a blog and YouTube channel of their ongoing renovation process.

28. The Finn Fixer Upper

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Built in: 1921

Renovation date: 2019 - 2020

Time spent on renovation: 1+ year

Cost of renovation:$111,000 (estimated)

The Remodel Story

The house that Casey and Michal Finn bought in Chicago had originally been a small red brick bungalow. Over time, a second story was added on top. The Finns wanted to update the house, remove walls and the fireplace, and put in new wood floors and repaint the entire place, inside and out. They expected the work to take about 3 months.

However, during the renovations, their contractor discovered that the upper floor was built entirely on 2x4 planks of wood, which violated local building codes, and the entire upper floor had to be rebuilt using steel beams. The extra work added $25,000 to their costs. Casey kept a blog and Instagram page showing the refurbishment process.

27. Chateau de Gudanes

Location: Château-Verdun, France

Built in: 1741 - 1750

Renovation date: 2013 - present

Time spent on renovation: 8+ years

Cost of renovation: $5 million (estimated)

The Remodel Story

When Australians Karina and Craig Waters first saw Chateau de Gudanes in the South of France it had almost no floors or ceilings left. The couple knew they might be committing to a lifetime project, doing most of the work themselves. Chateau de Gudanes is classified as a historic monument by the French government, and the couple had to submit all architectural plans for approval before work could be carried out.

Now, with most rooms restored, the Waters host working guests during the summer who assist with ongoing renovations. They hold weddings on site and have opened the chateau to weekend visitors and tours.

26. The Prairie House

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Built in: 1913

Renovation date: 2018 - present

Time spent on renovation: 3+ years

Cost of renovation: N/A

The Remodel Story

Alicia and Zach Meyer bought an old prairie-style home in Milwaukee that was originally built in 1913 by a local politician named Waldemar Wehe. The Meyers wanted to restore the house to the way it looked when it was built, rather than remodel or modernize it. The couple had limited resources so opted to do work themselves over many years.

They’ve removed layers of wallpaper and paint, and taken out ceiling tiles, to bring the house back to the way it once looked. They found the original blueprints of the home after moving in, which helped with the restorations. The Meyers set up an Instagram account to document their home restoration and also to connect with other people who owned historic houses.

25. Cottonland Castle

Location: Waco, Texas

Built in: 1913

Renovation date: 2019 - present

Time spent on renovation: 2+ years

Cost of renovation: N/A

The Remodel Story

Not all castles are in Europe. Chip and Joanna Gaines host the hit renovation show “Fixer Upper” on HGTV. They also own a renovation business, retail properties, a restaurant, vacation rentals and a realty company in Waco.

However, there was one thing the Gaines didn’t have that they wanted. The Cottonland Castle property in Waco had stood empty for 20 years, but the couple’s efforts to buy it weren’t successful. Finally, in 2019, they were able to purchase the house and are in the planning stages of renovating it. Joanna documented the process on her popular Instagram account and blog.

24. The Old Farmhouse

Location: Ellensburg, Washington

Built in: 1912

Renovation date: 2016 - present

Time spent on renovation: 5+ years

Cost of renovation: $66,000+ (estimated)

The Remodel Story

Cathy and Garrett Poshusta were living in Seattle when Cathy was laid off from her engineering job. The two had renovated their existing home and decided to start “house hacking:” buying and fixing up older houses and then renting them out to cover the mortgage.

The couple now own four rental properties and have been able to retire early (at 34). They are still finishing their primary house, an old farmhouse they purchased in their hometown of Ellensburg, Washington. The Poshustas maintain a popular blog and Instagram account to inspire other old home renovators, and their farmhouse was featured on an HGTV renovation program.

23. The Victorian Farmhouse

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Built in: 1892

Renovation date: 2014 - 2019

Time spent on renovation: 5 years

Cost of renovation: N/A

The Remodel Story

Stephanie and Travis Kreger had been looking for a new house but initially rejected buying the farmhouse because it needed too much work. But the couple could not stop thinking about the house and ended up making the purchase.

Travis owns a remodeling company, so he had the skills to do the necessary renovations and rebuilding. Stephanie handled the interior design. It turned out all 14 rooms in the Queen Anne-style house needed extensive work. Stephanie kept a blog and a popular Instagram account showing the farmhouse’s restoration and interior design.

22. The East Midlands Edwardian

Location: Leicester, England

Built in: 1905

Renovation date: 2013 - 2018

Time spent on renovation: 5 years

Cost of renovation: N/A

The Remodel Story

Scott and Mark (as they’re referred to on their blog) are an Australian couple who had been living in the U.K. since 2009. They had moved from Liverpool to Leicester for work and decided to buy a property that they could renovate. The couple settled on a three-story Edwardian house that was last updated in the 1950s.

They lived in an apartment at the top of the house while construction work was carried out. Scott and Mark had to replace the original lead pipes, repair the roof and ceilings, put in new plumbing and new wiring, and build a new kitchen and new bathrooms. Scott and Mark blogged about the Edwardian house until they finished the renovations and sold the property in 2018.

21. Château de Doux

Location: Altillac, France

Built in: 1904 - 1906

Renovation date: 2009 - 2019

Time spent on renovation: 10 years

Cost of renovation: $692,000

The Remodel Story

Clive and Karen Young first stayed at the Chateau de Doux in southwest France in 2008 while on a family vacation. The building was designed by Jean-Louis Pascal, the same architect responsible for the National Library in Paris. The couple fell in love with the property, and when it came up for sale a year later, they bought it.

The chateau had been neglected for over a decade and was rundown but didn’t need major structural work. The Youngs now rent a bridal suite, 17 bedrooms and eight self-contained units to guests or for wedding parties and groups. They cater for weddings on site and maintain a chateau Instagram page.

20. The Frugal Edwardian

Location: London, England

Built in: 1901 - 1910

Renovation date: 2016 - 2019

Time spent on renovation: 3+ years

Cost of renovation: $55,400

The Remodel Story

Alex and Chris Stedman wanted to buy a house with a garden before Brexit went through. However, the couple had a limited budget, so they bought a three-bedroom Edwardian House in London’s Wood Green district that needed a lot of work.

By doing most of the work themselves, with family help, the Stedmans have been able to cut their estimated cost of renovations by more than half. Alex is a fashion editor and runs a popular blog and Instagram page. She blogs about design, interiors and updates on their Edwardian house renovation.

19. Fallen Victorian Splendor

Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Built in: 1897

Renovation date: 2000 - 2014

Time spent on renovation: 14 years

Cost of renovation: $150,000

The Remodel Story

In 2000, Ron Tanner bought a condemned Victorian, three-story brownstone in Baltimore against his real estate agent’s advice. The house had previously been a frat house and was completely trashed. He and his girlfriend (now wife), Jill Eicher, knew nothing about restoring old homes.

The roof, plumbing and wiring had to be replaced, three ceilings had fallen in, and a three-story wooden porch had to be rebuilt. To save costs, the couple bought building materials at auctions and flea markets and taught themselves to do basic repairs. Ron kept a blog on the renovation process and turned it into a book, “From Animal House to Our House.”

18. The Cross House

Location: Emporia, Kansas

Built in: 1894

Renovation date: 2014 - present

Time spent on renovation: 7 years

Cost of renovation: $20,000

The Remodel Story

Ross McTaggart fell in love with the large Cross House the minute he saw it. MacTaggart owns a vintage lighting business and had been looking for about two years for a house he could live in and use to store his business inventory. He found a huge outpouring of support in the local community for his project and started a Go Fund Me project to fully restore the house.

McTaggert previously owned an architectural design business in New York City. His father was a master carpenter, so he had a lot of experience in renovation and building. His blog, Restoring Ross, discusses his adventures restoring his house, yachts and lighting.

17. From Gutted to Gorgeous

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Built in: 1893

Renovation date: 2017 - 2020

Time spent on renovation: 3 years

Cost of renovation: N/A

The Remodel Story

Couple Stephen and David St Russell had already renovated one house together, a 1910 American Foursquare. In 2017, they found a gutted Victorian house in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood and decided to make it their new home.

They blogged and kept an Instagram account showing the process of what turned into a three-year project. Along the way, they kept track of all the resources they used, from paint brands to antique furniture dealers to hardware, fabric and wallpapers that they used. The couple and their house have been featured in "Country Living" and "House Beautiful" magazines.

16. Mad About the House

Location: London, England

Built in: 1860

Renovation date: 2010 - 2013

Time spent on renovation: 3 years

Cost of renovation: N/A

The Remodel Story

Kate Watson-Smyth is a journalist who writes for English newspapers about property, interiors and design. So, it was fitting that she should blog about her own renovation efforts with the London home that she and her husband, journalist Adam Leigh, own.

The house had previously been divided into two rental units, and the renovation restored them into a single, four-bedroom home. The couple had to remove walls, install new plumbing and heating, and put in a new kitchen and new bathrooms. Watson-Smyth had so many blog readers and Instagram followers ask her about how to find the items in her house that she’s established an interior styling consultancy.

15. The House That Inspired a Book

Location: Port Townsend, Washington

Built in: 1909

Renovation date: 2001 - 2020

Time spent on renovation: 19 years

Cost of renovation: N/A

The Remodel Story

When Erica and Ben Bauermeister first saw their Four Square house in Port Townsend, it was covered with asbestos and vegetation. Even worse, the last resident had been a hoarder, and the house was full of trash. The couple bought the house, determined to make it a family home.

The roof, windows, plumbing and electrical wiring all were replaced. The Bauermeisters, and their daughters carried out 7.5 tons of trash. In the end, the renovations took roughly 20 years, and Erica, a New York Times best-selling writer, wrote a critically acclaimed book about the process called “House Lessons,” referring to the house as her muse.

14. The Harrison DeLong House

Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Built in: 1889

Renovation date: 2014 - 2016

Time spent on renovation: 2 years

Cost of renovation: N/A

The Remodel Story

When Racheal Meyerink emailed her husband a real estate listing for a Queen Anne house in downtown Sioux Falls, she didn’t expect they would buy it. Meyerink was a member of the Sioux Falls Board of Historic Preservation and has a passion for old houses.

When Meyerink discovered the house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the couple toured the house, they knew they wanted to move in and restore it.

The property was full of dry rot and had to be repainted, both inside and out. The couple are experienced renovators and did most of the work themselves. Meyerink kept a blog detailing the renovations of her historic Queen Anne house.

13. Old Town Home

Location: Alexandria, Virginia

Built in: 1885 - 1890

Renovation date: 2003 - 2015

Time spent on renovation: 12+ years

Cost of renovation: $100,000

The Remodel Story

Alex and Wendy Santantonio met in high school. They moved to the Washington, D.C., area for work and bought a rowhouse in Alexandria that needed extensive work. Alex, who had worked as a general contractor, handled the project side, and Wendy handled the design side.

The house is filled with vintage pieces and antiques the couple bought over the years to keep the feel of an old house. The Santantonios also converted their home into a “smart house” with security and audio that can be controlled by smartphones. The couple took about 12 years to renovate the house and kept a blog about the process.

12. The Dukart House

Location: Carthage, Missouri

Built in: 1880s

Renovation date: 2018 - present

Time spent on renovation: 4 years

Cost of renovation: $52,000

The Remodel Story

Karolyn Fuller had just moved to Carthage and was driving through the city when she saw the old Dukart House for sale. She stopped, called the realtor and was soon inside checking out the property.

The house needed new plumbing, new electrical wiring, a furnace, ductwork, gas lines and more. Fuller was able to qualify for a Fannie Mae Homestyle loan for both the cost of the Dukart House ($59,000) and the refurbishments. She has been documenting the entire renovation process on Instagram and plans to rent the house or put it on Airbnb when she’s finished.

11. Manchester Victorian

Location: Manchester, England

Built in: 1875

Renovation date: 2012 - present

Time spent on renovation: 9+ years

Cost of renovation: N/A

The Remodel Story

Alice and Andre de Araujo needed more space for their growing family and bought a 19th century Victorian in Manchester. The couple set out to restore the house. Alice worked in IT as a change consultant and decided to keep a blog of their renovations to inspire others who might be considering buying a historic home.

The couple expected the work would take up to 10 years and were happy to renovate slowly. They hired contractors to do the initial expert work of plumbing, wiring, installing and removing ceilings, walls and windows, putting in a new roof and support beams. The de Araujos have continued to do smaller repair and refurbishment projects themselves.

10. Escape to the Chateau

Location: Martigné-sur-Mayenne, France

Built in: 1874

Renovation date: 2015 - 2020

Time spent on renovation: 5 years

Cost of renovation: $1.38 million (estimated)

The Remodel Story

TV presenter Dick Strawbridge and his wife Angel decided to buy the Chateau de la Motte-Husson in France and hosted an English TV series, “Escape to the Chateau,” about their renovation efforts. No one had lived in the 45-room mansion for 40 years. The building had no running water, no heating and no electricity. The property also included a moat, orangery, walled garden, stables and outbuildings.

Due to the amount of the work required, the Strawbridges had to do most of the renovation themselves and go room by room. The couple maintain a popular Instagram account about the castle’s remodel, and they now host weddings on the site.

9. Neglected Greek Revival

Location: Kingston, New York

Built in: 1865

Renovation date: 2013 - present

Time spent on renovation: 8+ years

Cost of renovation: N/A

The Remodel Story

Daniel Kantor is a serial renovator and a renovation blogger. He was a student in New York City when he started a blog from his college dorm room. Kantor went on to renovate two apartments before buying a neglected house in Kingston, a few hours drive from the city.

When he first moved in, the house didn’t have a working toilet or a kitchen. Kantor has been slowly working on the house ever since, in between gaps to take on other design and renovation projects to support himself. Kantor continues to blog about his renovations and document the process on his Instagram.

8. Château de Bourneau

Location: Bourneau, France

Built in: 1863

Renovation date: 2018 - present

Time spent on renovation: 3+ years

Cost of renovation: $594,000

The Remodel Story

When Erin Choa and Jean-Baptiste Gois saw the Château de Bourneau in the west of France, they fell in love with it. They left behind careers as a doctor (her) and mechanical engineer (him) in the U.K. to move to France and devote their time to the chateau restoration project, doing most of the work themselves.

The Renaissance-era building includes a moat and 40 acres of woodland. The couple’s popular Instagram account chronicles their renovation efforts. They converted the stables and outbuildings into self-contained cottages and now host weddings, events and guests on the site.

7. The Irish Georgian

Location: Dundalk, Ireland

Built in: 1810

Renovation date: 2012 - present

Time spent on renovation: 9+ years

Cost of renovation: N/A

The Remodel Story

Stephen Hickey bought a Georgian house in Dundalk with the plan to renovate the property within the year. Hickey was a teacher in construction technology at the Dublin Institute of Technology and an expert on historical joinery, or internal wood structures within a house, such as staircases, doors, windows or skirting boards. He planned to focus on restoring rather than replacing all the house’s woodwork.

As the house has historic protection, Hickey had to work with a conservation architect to submit work plans that don’t alter the character of the house to the local conservation authority. He maintains a blog and Instagram page of the renovations.

6. Hacking Old Home Financing

Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Built in: 1941

Renovation date: 2013

Time spent on renovation: 1 year

Cost of renovation: $60,000

The Remodel Story

Lauren Bowling was living in Atlanta, Georgia, for a year when she decided to buy an older home that needed work to save money. Bowling ended up buying a foreclosed house, was able to borrow money for closing costs and downpayment, and added her renovation costs to her mortgage loan.

The house only cost her $1,800 up front, but it needed both new plumbing and re-wiring to bring it up to code. Bowling ended up renting out rooms in her house to help cover her costs. But before long, she found herself writing a book, “The Millennial Homeowner,” about her experiences and ended up selling her house in 2018 for a $150,000 profit.

5. Château Caillac

Location: Fongrave, France

Built in: 19th century

Renovation date: 2004 - present

Time spent on renovation: 15+ years

Cost of renovation: $207,000

The Remodel Story

Stephen and Angela Hall were living in the U.K. when they decided to look for a property in France that they could turn into a bed and breakfast. The Halls had already renovated a 10-bedroom house in Chester.

They found a turreted seven-bedroom house in the French countryside on the Lot River and fell in love with the place. The property also includes extensive grounds and riverfront access. The Halls refurbished the turreted castle one room at a time and now rent the chateau as a luxury summer getaway. They maintain an Instagram account highlighting life at the chateau.

4. Historic Danascara Place

Location: Albany, New York

Built in: 1795 (reconstructed 1870s)

Renovation date: 2019 - present

Time spent on renovation: 3 years

Cost of renovation: N/A

The Remodel Story

Jessica Rhodes is a decorator, thrifter and renovator. She and her husband are renovating a historic home in upstate New York, dating originally from the 18th century. This is the second home do-over for the pair.

She thoroughly researched the property’s history, discovering that an earlier house stood on the site but was burned during the Revolutionary War and rebuilt. Danascara Place is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Rhodes has blogged about and Instagrammed the historic house’s makeover and is now starting a new career designing for other people after the success of her blog.

3. Dinton Castle

Location: Dinton, England

Built in: 1769

Renovation date: 2016 - 2017

Time spent on renovation: One year

Cost of renovation: $414,000

The Remodel Story

Jaime Fernandez, an architect and his wife, Mimi, bought Dinton Castle in the U.K. in 2016. The octagonal stone building was a ruin, with crumbling walls and overgrown with weeds. The couple had to complete an archeological survey before starting any work, as the site had a heritage listing.

The couple spent a year renovating the castle, turning it into a two-bedroom family home that stretches over three floors. The house was featured on TV show “Grand Designs” in 2018, and the couple listed the property for sale in 2019. The castle has a dedicated Instagram page that shows the building and the grounds before and after renovation.

2. Château de la Ruche

Location: Teille, France

Built in: 18th century

Renovation date: 2017

Time spent on renovation: 4+ years

Cost of renovation: $152,000

The Remodel Story

Tim and Rebecca Jones owned a townhouse in England when they decided to change direction in their lives, bought a small chateau in the Loire Valley and moved to France. They sold their four-bedroom home in Lincolnshire and took out loans to pay for the renovation.

With the help of two resident friends, the couple did most of the work themselves. They have so far renovated three of the 14 bedrooms for guests as well as a small stand-alone cottage and established a successful bed and breakfast business. Most of their bookings come via their Instagram account.

1. Historic Maine Beach House

Location: Portland, Maine

Built in: 1729

Renovation date: 2016 - 2019

Time spent on renovation: 3 years

Cost of renovation: $200,000

The Remodel Story

Sarah and Wes Day had previously renovated several properties. Wes works as a pharmacist during the day and Sarah is a landscape artist who sells her work online. For their third project, they decided to refurbish a historic (290 years old) Portland, Maine, cottage near the beach and rent it out to short-term guests.

The couple needed to install or overhaul the electricity, plumbing, heating and flooring. They also decided to add on a two-story addition at the back for more space. Sarah’s artwork decorates the cottage. The couple documented their renovation process on a blog and a popular Instagram page.