OUR
RENOVATION STORY

It’s been four wonderful years since my husband, John, and I purchased our “Fixer-Upper” and embarked on a journey together that would change both our lives. At the time we had been married 28 years – had two grown daughters and were just beginning to broach the subject that most people “our age” put off way too long, “Where did we want to retire?”

Instead of heading south we decided to head west – just about an hour to be exact. Just over the NJ/PA borderline of the Delaware River we found the amazing small city of Bethlehem PA. This location is a wonderful historic area with a ton of cultural venues. From the shops and restaurants “downtown” on Main Street, to Wind Creek Casino and the restored Bethlehem Steel Stacks, which are now a hotbed for live music, there is almost too much to do for entertainment. Moravian College and Lehigh University both call Bethlehem their home, so we’ve got a lively educational center, as well.

The property we finally settled on was built in 1905 and originally a family home, but had been sold and converted to commercial use in the early 1970’s. Before even closing we had plenty of work to do. First we had to get a commitment from the city that we would be able to change the property to Mixed-Use Zoning so that it could be the new location of Bailiwick Interior Design AND our home, too!

The bulk of the renovation was done while we were living in the house and my husband and I were considered the swing shift. When the contractors went home at 4pm – we started working our second jobs – as the DIY crew. Follow us on our journey – we’ll share our little tips and tricks – where we scrimped and saved and where we splurged!

Check out My Bailiwick Blog for more details on our historic home renovation and other interior design insights and tips!