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Architect’s design breathes new life into old home

When an old home has good bones, but has fallen into disrepair, it takes a keen eye to see the potential that faded beauty possesses.

That’s what happened when architect Robert S. MacNeille, of the firm Carpenter & MacNeille Architects and Builders in Essex, Massachusetts, saw The Cove. He studied the property carefully, digging into its history to plan a renovation and restoration to bring the weather-worn home back to life.

Built originally in the early 1900s as a Shingle-style carriage house with attached barn by Peabody & Stearns, the building had been converted into a residence, but never properly finished.

MacNeille and his team of expert architects, craftsmen and designers - including Tradewood Windows & Doors of St. Catharines - reimagined The Cove through careful renovation and application of replicated, decorative, historic millwork, bringing the home into another century while remaining true to the history of the original building.

While The Cove today appears as though it has stood for generations, the renovation includes some modern touches built by craftsmen so skilled, their work seamlessly blends the old with the new. Proof of their skill came in the form of a 2013 Bullfinch Award for Carpenter & MacNeille, from the New England Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art.

Trim and millwork were manufactured locally and some of the floors are made from reclaimed lumber. Parts of the carriage house barn’s structure, such as the cupola that used to function as a ventilation shaft and hay storage, were reimagined with new purpose. The cupola now houses the master bathroom, complete with exposed beams and equestrian-style barn doors.

Historic reproduction windows were custom-made by Tradewood. Some are double-hung and operated by pulleys and chains, and some second-floor windows are swing-out French casements.

The project made such an impression on the historical restoration community, it, and MacNeille, were profiled in several online and print journals. Photos, as well as links to the journal articles, can be found on the Carpenter & MacNeille website at http://carpentermacneille.com/cove.

Faded beauty no longer, The Cove stands proud, a perfectly functioning, lovely example of architecture and beauty from a bygone era.

Does your historic home need some TLC? Call Tradewood today at

905-641-4949. We’d love to help you restore glory to your own faded beauty!