Couple Purchased and Restored 120-Year-Old Church That They Now Call Home
In the wake of DIY shows and spunky celebrity remodeling couples like Chip and Joanna Gaines, it seems like more people than ever are setting out on serious renovation projects and documenting their progress.
While not everyone has the gumption (or the funds) to learn how to give architecture a facelift, there are plenty of people who love watching from afar and seeing what some people can do with once-neglected spaces.
Anastasiia and Gunther, from Maryland, were one of those eager couples who wanted a real project to get their teeth into. And they found it in 2017, just down the street from where they were living.
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The subject? A 2,500-square-foot, 120-year-old church known as All Saints’ Church. It was used until the 1950s, deconsecrated in the 1970s, and passed through the hands of several would-be remodelers since then.
The “work” that had been done on the adorable little church was, as Anastasiia described it, temporary.
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“The changes that were made to the building are not permanent,” Anastasiia said, according to Business Insider. “You can take down everything that’s been put up, and it can be a functioning church again.”
The church isn’t the first to be built on that spot, either. Henry Martyn Congdon, the late designer of the current building, designed the previous one too — but it burnt down on New Year’s Eve in 1899.
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To add to the potential “creepy” factor, the church features a cemetery at the back — not owned by Gunther and Anastasiia, but their deck overlooks old grave markers and tombstones. Anastasiia claims “it’s not as spooky as you’d think.”
“The moment we walked in, that was it. It was love at first sight,” Anastasiia said. “We looked at each other and said, ‘Yes, we definitely want to live here,’ and called our real-estate agent.”
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Drawn in by the charms and quirks of the property, she and Gunther got to work transforming the space into a home for themselves and their three children by watching YouTube tutorials.
The two initially paid $320,000 for the space, and said that since then they’ve put up to $50,000 into renovating and sprucing the place up. One of the particular challenges they’ve faced is to make the space more “homey” while still honoring the materials and original build of the structure.
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“We try to keep everything as original as possible, as the owners prior to us did,” she explained. “We don’t want to change anything that would damage the architectural integrity of the building.”
The old altar has been changed into a cozy living room, the great hall (which is unheated in the colder months) has 25-foot ceilings, a loft has been added as the master bedroom, and there are some plans in the works for the three-level bell tower.
The first level is currently a library/guest room, the second level will be converted into an Airbnb room, and the third level will be fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows and function as a lounge.
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The space is certainly unique, and the couple has scored quite a following with their Instagram account dedicated to their All Saints’ House.
“Starting this account, we never imagined how much encouragement, support and love we would find in this Instagram community,” they wrote on Monday. “We never expected how many wonderful friends and likeminded people we would find here. We never anticipated that our passion for this gorgeous home would be shared and understood by so many of you. Big heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you for making this year so special.”
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As the work continues — and as every homeowner knows, the work never really ends — they’re doing their best to enjoy the place while still respecting its roots.
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“My husband always says that we’re just stewards of this place,” Anastasiia said. “This place has been here for over 100 years, and it will be here long after we are gone.”
“Our job is not to just make it what we want, but to make sure we preserve it.”
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