A North Carolina couple bought a rundown 107-year-old house for $320,000, and spent a year and a half restoring it on their own. It strengthened their marriage and preserved history — see how they did it.

Amanda GohMar 9, 2023, 08:24 IST

The exterior of the house after the renovations were completed.Paige Baratta

A North Carolina couple bought a rundown, 107-year-old home for $320,000 in October 2020.
Paige Baratta and Tripp Simmons then spent the next year and a half renovating the property on their own.

Paige Baratta and Tripp Simmons were moving back to Asheville, North Carolina, when they were caught in a housing crunch.

A collage of Paige Baratta and Tripp Simmons with the exterior of their renovated home.Paige Baratta

As their search dragged on for months, the couple decided to reconsider the fixer-upper — which they ended up buying for $320,000 in October 2020.

The exterior of the house before the couple renovated it.Paige Baratta

But it was not an easy task. The house was built in 1915 and was poorly maintained by the previous owner, who had lived there since the '60s.

One of the bathrooms when they first bought the place.Paige Baratta

As the property had been empty for about a year before the couple came along, everything in the house was covered in a layer of dust.

The kitchen before it was renovated.Paige Baratta

The couple started renovating the house on the same day that they received the keys, ripping out the carpet and the linoleum floors.

The entryway and staircase when they first bought the house.Paige Baratta

One of the biggest tasks was removing the asbestos panels that were covering the original wood sidings on the exterior of the house.

After taking out the asbestos panels (left), the couple uncovered original wood siding panels on the house (right).Paige Baratta

Baratta and Simmons were on a tight budget, so they moved into the house within a month of buying it — even before the renovations were completed.

Progress photo of their renovation.Paige Baratta

The two of them even found trinkets left behind by previous occupants, including an old children's shoe, a pocket watch, and a pair of glasses.

The couple found items left behind by previous occupants during their renovation.Paige Baratta

After a year and a half of working on the house, the couple completed most of the renovations and named their new home the Mahogany Mansion.

The exterior of the house after the renovations were completed.Paige Baratta

While renovating their home, Baratta and Simmons even got to know the granddaughter of one of the former owners.

The living room.Paige Baratta

Baratta's favorite part of the house is the entryway because of the high ceilings and the wood details on the staircase.

The completed stairway.Paige Baratta

Baratta opted for a kitchen with painted cabinets — which is in fashion now — but says that she should have gone for a different style.

The kitchen has mint green cabinets.Paige Baratta

Baratta describes the interior decor as the "Grandmillennial" style, characterized by bold colors, patterns, and thrifted furniture.

Baratta and Simmons painted the walls of their dining room green. The table was a gift from a friend.Paige Baratta

Thrifting is one of Baratta's hobbies, and most of the furniture and decor in the house are items that she got from antique and secondhand stores.

One of the bedrooms in the house.One of the bedrooms in the house.

During the renovation, the couple even found two clawfoot bathtubs and decided to restore them.

One of the bathrooms in the house.Paige Baratta

Baratta started posting photos of the renovation journey on her personal Instagram account to keep her family and friends updated during the pandemic.

A small closet in the dining room (left) is transformed into a butler's pantry (right).Paige Baratta

One of their neighbors nominated them for a local preservation award, which the couple ended up winning for their restoration efforts.

Baratta holding up a banner for the preservation award that the couple won for their work on the house.Paige Baratta

Looking back, Baratta only has one thing to say about her experience: "Old houses are worth saving."

The exterior of the house after renovation.Paige Baratta

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A North Carolina couple bought a rundown 107-year-old house for $320,000, and spent a year and a half restoring it on their own. It strengthened their marriage and preserved history &mdash; see how they did it.