After standing for 50-60 years, one corner of a previous front porch construction had begun to sink as the result of structural deterioration. Upon examination it was revealed that the porch foundation was in need of major repair.

For their biggest project so far, the porch reconstruction, they worked with a contractor-builder in the design of the porch. Then they submitted their plans to Landmark for approval, and with back-and-forth discussions (during Covid), the approval process took a total of about three months. Most people could probably expect projects that involve replacing the existing structure to progress more quickly.

In the meantime, the Gaults began working with a historic preservation colorist for help in choosing the colors for the exterior of the home. When Landmark asked for their plans for color changes on the porch and the rest of the home, the Gaults submitted those plans.

The Porch

The original pillars, the covered porch, and bead board ceiling of the porch were preserved. The porch and porch stair height were kept the same. The height of the side balustrades was lowered to align to the lower sill of the front window, as recommended by the historic preservationist. A front balustrade was added. Pressure-treated wood was not used for the construction of balustrades, but instead pine. Cedar was used for the porch decking, which was stained to reflect the wood tones of the front door. Lattice, custom-created with cedar, was designed to align with historic and aesthetic values, with vertical lines being predominant. The original dentil molding was preserved and painted black to create an attractive contrast.

Balustrades lowered to align with window sill edge.

1940s Newspaper Found

While prepping for paint around the upstairs bay window, 1940s newspaper was found insulating the window, with signs of smoldering fire in the past. Newspaper was removed and the area was properly insulated and painted.

Historic Paint Colors

The paint colors for the exterior of the house and garage were selected to reflect the period of the home, using Benjamin Moore's "Historic Color" collection. Louisberg Green was chosen as the main color of the brick, with Newburg Green as the secondary body color for the scalloping and shingles found on the gables and dormers. StandishWhite and black were used for the trim to highlight some of the architectural features. And, lastly, Rockport Gray was used on the masonry stone to mimic the original limestone.

The renovated porch sporting lower balustrades, lattice work instead of skirting, and a historically-based color palette.

Many congratulations to Angelique and Justin Gault for their extensive planning and well thought-out decisions. Their preservation accomplishments greatly enhance the historic nature of the property and serve as a beautiful example of preservation for the neighborhood to enjoy for years to come.

The Gaults' insights and tips for working with Landmark

Because we made aesthetic changes to the porch at the time of planning (lattice for the skirting, lowered side balustrades, additional front balustrade) our submission had to be referred to the committee for review. Our deck contractor appeared on the committee’s review day and walked them through the plans (what was the same, what was different) and used our preservationist’s website content to help illustrate and justify the reasons for the changes, which were designed to make the house’s architectural features be more authentic to the time period.

• Due to the changes we made on the construction of the porch as well as the historic colors we chose, we strongly suspect that it helped us receive full approval on our plans without any back and forth.

• One big thing we learned (and did not know going into the project) was how critically important the color placement is. Our preservationist had many “before and after” examples on his website to help illustrate what a difference color placement makes on a home with historic architecture.

• Our paint consultation with the preservationist was done via zoom and cost less than $200 (in 2021), but it was so incredibly worth it. Exterior painting is expensive, so the added cost of a consultant may seem daunting, but we were SO much happier with the colors we chose in the end, compared to what we had been considering before we met with him. The historic preservation colorist was also the one who suggested changing the solid skirting to lattice and lowering the balustrade, giving us the architectural reasons for why it would make the house be more authentic to its period.

Our consultant: Ken Roginski of The Old House Guy (oldhouseguy.com) 732-455-9499