apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

That's beautiful. Is the paint color different too, or is that just the lighting? What gray is that?

Nice work. We are in the process of renovating our 100 yo condo in JP. Going to this store this weekend.

Wow, very cool resource! The mantle redo looks fantastic and the store looks amazing. Will have to get over there asap to look for some of those beautiful historic pieces...

Thanks for the post - you're well on your way to becoming Boston's best blogger!

Smart redo!

Very lovely room, do you mind sharing the price of the mantle? I have yet to find affordable salvage in Boston. Thanks.

Dodo, I recently found another salvage place on Dorchester Ave., in the no man's land between Andrew Sq. and Southie. It's called Building Restoration Services at 371 Dot Ave. They seemed to have more doors than anything else, but worth poking around.

Miraculous. Kudos to the Stone doctor and the homeowner for having such insight. The addition of the wood floors takes the space a long way too.

what a difference, from trashy to classy

What a great post, and a beautiful reno. Way to go, Melissa! My hubby and I are planning some work on our place in Cambridge and will definitely check out Restoration Resources.

My I ask who did the fabulous built-in bookcase in the corner?

I wouldn't quite the before "trashy", but since it's a historical building, the "after" looks very much more appropriate, whereas the "before" could make a person wonder if they were in a McMansion.

The built-in looks beautifully tied in with the place and with that new fireplace.

Umm, wow! It's like a completely different apartment. Lovely.

I love the subject matter - my ears always perk up when I hear "salvage". I have to admit, I cringe at the use of the term "SOWA" to refer to south of Washington. I can't wait to see the rest of the renovation, based on this "after" photo.

The transformation is remarkable! Nice work! (Though I do have to agree with ace, 'SOWA' is cringe inducing.)

I'd love to see more of your renovation projects.

There is that moment when the character of a room is born... I love how you have kept it Super fresh yet warm.

awesome work! the room looks so much better than before! it would be interesting to see a shot of the room at night when what I think is a light on your bookshelf is on and the city of boston is buzzing outside the window...do you have any lights highlighting that great nude sketch on the mantle?

Heh. I also love the mantel and also couldn't quite get past "SOWA" as a neighborhood name... I don't know the South End that well, but it seems like someone's attempt to coin a hip-sounding new name. (Not to accuse the author of this! I assume that people actually use this name.)

The Ghost chair works really well there.

[Hm, just googled and it seems like the name gets used a lot... the Glob had an article about all these new names back in 2005. I guess I've been gone too long.]

Lovely and classy re-do. I'd love to see what other improvements you've made to your home.

(And great bookcase, too!)

Hi, Melissa here....Thank you for your comments!

I’m on board with folks who don’t like the SoWa moniker… With the term popping up on banners and buildings all over the neighborhood it’s becoming harder to avoid!

bluebird: The paint color is the same on the walls and the bookcase. The color is called “Gig’s Grey” and is made by Pratt and Lambert.

dodo: Marble mantles here start around 2k, but are very dependent on the type of marble, detail level, and size. What we love about these mantles besides the look is that they are known to impact potential buyers. Restoration Resources does sell (and buy) a wide array of remnants at a wide array of price points, so they are worth a visit. I’d strongly advise negotiating on any item at this store – they are receptive.

Larrabee: The built-ins were done by the Housley Corporation in Rehoboth, MA. They were a very fair and reliable contractor. I would use them again in the future! Best of luck with your house work!

Sorry about the formatting! Let me clarify...

Paint color is Gig's Grey by Pratt and Lambert.

:)