S unday , M arch 27, 2022
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Journal-World
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Local homes edition
QUIRKY • COLORFUL • CUSTOM • HISTORIC • PERFECT
RESIDENTS THROW OPEN
THEIR DOORS Mike Yoder/Journal-World File Photo
A REMODELED KITCHEN was one the biggest projects for Darin Fischer and his family at their Breezedale home
Mike Yoder/Journal-World File Photo
FROM LEFT, Lena Giordano, Lara Giordano, Rosalie Giordano, and Ari Linden are pictured outside their home in the Pinkney Neighborhood at 401 Indiana St.
BEAUTY IN THE SMALL THINGS Last year, Realtor Tom Harper posted a picture on Instagram of a stainedglass window for a house that would be for sale soon. He didn’t include the address, writing only that the house was in the Pinkney Neighborhood and would soon be on the market. Lara Giordano, who was living in East Lawrence with her husband, Ari Linden, and their toddler, saw the picture and became a little obsessed. “I was so obsessed at that point that on one of my jogs I jogged through Pinkney and found the house,” she said. Giordano and her family moved into the threebedroom Dutch Colonial house at 401 Indiana St. in May. The couple have
Mike Yoder/Journal-World File Photo
ORIGINAL STAINED GLASS WINDOWS were part of what drew Lara Giordano and her family to their home. since had another baby, so now they have two daughters whom they plan to raise in the 2,300-squarefoot home with a gambrel roof, backyard deck and carriage house. Giordano and Linden can collectively rattle off the small details that drew
them to purchase 401 Indiana: the wood bannister and built-in bench in the foyer, the two stainedglass windows that adorn each side of the front of the house, the unpainted wood paneling, the Japanese weeping maple that grows in the yard.
“I grew up in a home with a lot of outdoor space. My father used to host huge summer parties where our friends and family would camp out for days at a time, playing music and hiking,” Giordano says. “When (Ari) and I started looking for a home, I was driven very much by the desire to extend the same hospitality and care to our community here in Lawrence. I kept thinking about how lovely it would be to see all of our friends’ children running around the backyard together and how great it would be to have the carriage house to accommodate all our loved ones that live so far away during their visits.”
OPENING UP SMALL SPACES When Conrad Altenbernd and Judy Green purchased the house at 1701 Vermont St. they intended to use it as a rental property. “When we bought it, it was a rental property and there were lots of rooms, closet space and bathrooms. It was really all chopped up,” Green says. “At some point we pivoted and decided to make it our personal residence.” The couple bought the house in 2001 and gutted it — getting rid of rotted wood and old paneling, taking down walls and removing bathrooms. The renovation took two years. In 2003, they finally moved in. Now the house has one bedroom, one full bathroom, a half bathroom and large areas of open living space. The fact that the house had been used for multiple apartments is not readily evident, as few
HISTORIC LOOK AND MODERN COMFORTS From exchanging modern light fixtures for antiques to patching holes in the original wood floor, Darin Fischer and his family are trying to return their historic home to its original style. Their craftsmanstyle house, located at 2315 Massachusetts St., has a similar look to its neighbors in the historic Breezedale district, which is thought to be Lawrence’s first suburban neighborhood. Many of the homes on Fischer’s block were built in the early 20th century, some as early as 1909. “It’s endless, these homes, in terms of both upkeep and for us, trying to get more and more back to what it was originally — or, at least the feel of originality,” Fischer said. Fischer, his daughter, Aubrey Fischer, and his partner all moved into the home in 2017. They had been seeking a “historically unadulterated” home, and this one had original wood floors, woodwork and windows. But while Fischer loved historic architecture, he also said the
home had “to blend with functionality.” Before they moved in, the couple renovated the kitchen. They stripped the kitchen and adjusted the layout of the appliances, creating a more open space where two or three people can cook at the same time. “I know exactly where the original sink was, and we didn’t put it there because having a workable kitchen is more important,” he said. Fischer also created a walk-in pantry in the kitchen in a space that used to be an entrance to a bathroom. Fischer closed off part of the bathroom to account for the pantry space. The dining room features a built-in hutch and antique chandelier. Fischer replaced all the light fixtures in the home with antiques, many of which came from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. The dining room chandelier, which the family found at Habitat ReStore, was originally owned by the Weaver family, of Weaver’s department store.
ABOUT THIS SPECIAL SECTION
Mike Yoder/Journal-World File Photo
CONRAD ALTENBERND AND JUDY GREEN, THE OWNERS OF 1701 VERMONT ST., say they spend most of their time on the second floor, which is one large open area with a bedroom and this TV room. vestiges from the building’s previous use remain. The downstairs includes an open living space, a half bath, a kitchen and a small screened-in greenhouse. The open living area is nestled at the entryway and includes ample
seating and a few antiques. Adjacent to the entryway is the greenhouse, where plants are able to thrive in the colder seasons. The upstairs also has an open-area living space. On that floor, the bedroom and the second
living room sort of blend together, with no walls or doors to separate them. “If somebody really wanted to make it a formal bedroom, you certainly could, but we just don’t like doors,” Green says.
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ver the past year, the JournalWorld has looked inside all kinds of homes owned by all kinds of people. Whether homeowners were restoring historic homes, adding modern features or personal touches or building the perfect home for them, they were all willing to open their doors and share their living spaces. Take a quick peek inside their homes with this special section and visit ljworld.com to see more photos and learn more about the people who live here.