Port Dover, Ontario, Canada
Arts and Crafts Century Home
circa 1832
ONE OF A KIND
208 McNab St W. by Phillip Ross November 2012
The first thing that becomes evident when you visit 208 McNab Street in Port Dover, is that you are experiencing a unique property of outstanding quality and character. The second thing you will notice is the extensive attention to detail, and perfectionism that the owner/restorers, Lionel and Karin Lodge have put into every aspect of the renovation. Every aspect of every detail has been fully considered and realized.
As you move through the two floors of large, bright, and airy rooms, you become increasingly aware of the beautiful balance struck between space and materials. The integrity and consistency of the design create a serene space that is both sympathetic to the home’s history, while feeling completely modernized. This applies to everything you look at and also to everything you can’t see.
The history of the building is a fascinating one that gives evidence of the uniqueness of this house. In spite of the consistent Arts and Crafts style evident in the layout and trim of the interior, the framing was a massively overbuilt 10 x 10 post and beam construction from a much earlier date. Through research it was discovered that the frame, and upper level floors and some of the windows were original to Port Dover’s first department store, called The Fair, constructed in 1832 on the corner of Market St and Main St where the Royal Bank now stands. In 1921 when the property was sold for the construction of a brick bank building, the building was moved to it’s current location by a team of horses, and at that time was reconfigured as a duplex. The symmetry inherent to this type of dwelling is still beautifully evident in balance that was maintained during it’s conversion to a single dwelling.
All the best features of the original house have been retained and lovingly restored, while everything which needed to be upgraded has been looked after. The electrical system for instance is completely rewired with 2 new 100amp service panels and all new wiring, switches, plugs and fixtures. Electrical service to house has been buried from street. All exterior walls and attic spaces have been insulated with blown cellulose with an R value of at least 48. The exterior basement walls have all been insulated with R24 foam.
Only the best, all natural materials have been used throughout. For instance rather than slapping up new drywall and losing the original contour of the trim, all the original 1” think plaster walls have been restored. The exterior of the house has been restored to the 1832 style with custom made ¾ inch by 5.5 inch pine bevel board, 10 inch wide by 1 3/8 inch thick pine trims and freeze boards, cedar window sills and pine widow casings. The bevel board and main trim has been sealed with five coats of opaque deck stain that contains linseed oil and urethane for a deep penetrating , long lasting finish.
The Kitchen is completely redone with the countertops and sink made of soap stone. The cabinets are custom made in true Shaker style. All the drawer fronts, doors, trims and panels were made on site out of 150 year old cherry wood reclaimed from a tree which stood in the backyard of the property. The kitchen is equipped with all the modern comforts: 2 blind corner pull out shelving systems, double stainless-steel under sink waste containers , soft closing hardware, pull out lower cabinet shelves, top of the line Kitchen Aid appliances, and designer stainless steel range hood and chimney. Like the rest of the place, it is simple yet elegant, and ultimately “user friendly”.
The upper bathrooms have also been restored in Arts & Crafts style, each with a 1920 cast iron claw foot bath tub and custom made fixtures, shelving and towel rails. The main floor bathroom has a shower, toilet and sink and is next to the main floor laundry room/mud room.
The windows of the house are also unique and special. The main floor has six large sets of six windows, two on each side and two on the front of the house. Each set measures 68 inches tall and 84 inches wide and consists of two sash windows and four fixed windows. All of the windows in the house have been totally restored. The sash windows have been modernized with weather sealers to lock out the cold when closed. The cedar storm windows have been customized and hinged so they can be opened from the inside of the house and never need to be removed. The sash windows have also been enhanced with custom made sliding screens. They all open and close effortlessly.
There are two restored fireplaces with original brick hearths and soap stone mantels. Both have matching wood burning inserts. These are sealed units with glass doors and air circulation fans that blow hot air into the room. The chimneys have been lined with self cleaning stainless steel liners and caps.
Overall you will find that meticulous attention has been paid to every detail. The interior has matching ceiling lights, cabinet door and drawer pulls, and matching door hardware throughout, which reinforce the Arts & Craft character throughout the entire house. The level of craftsmanship is excellent throughout. Everything is sympathetic to retaining the homes unique character. Everything reinforces the feeling of authenticity, right through to the stained glass window of a shamrock which graces the upper level of the house above the front door. The people who moved the house here in 1921 put a shamrock in the same place but shaped it in the exterior stucco finish. Lionel and Karin had a replica made in stained glass. It is sealed in double glazing and placed in the original location. Perfect.
PORT DOVER - Lionel and Karin Lodge have been on an adventure that has consumed five-and-a-half years of their lives.
It has meant putting their careers on hold, brushing off social engagements, and enduring long days of physical labour.
During that time, they have focused on their project non-stop, working seven days a week, 10 and 12 hours a day.
But the couple are proud of what they have accomplished: they've renovated one of the most historic and unique buildings in Port Dover painstaking detail by painstaking detail.
The Lodges live in a quiet older neighbourhood in the lakeside town, but at one time their home sat on Main Street and was known as The Fair department store.
It was built about 1830 and moved to its current site on McNabb Street West in the 1920s, pulled across town by horse and rolled on logs. Arts and crafts details from that era were then added to the two-storey building.
By the time the Lodges bought it in 2007, the home was a duplex and in need of repair.
They did the architectural research, sought out the right materials, and did the grunt work themselves - everything from covering their basement floor in a new layer of concrete, to building kitchen cupboards using lumber from an old cherry tree in the backyard, to restoring trim and putting it back up.
Crumbling stucco had to be removed from the outside and bricks re-pointed, all by hand.
They even researched the urethane to re-do the hardwood floors and ordered from a company that manufactures for school gymnasiums.
Today, their masterpiece - which they've put on the market for $499,00 - is a gleaming, red and cream-coloured home that combines an early 19th century solid building (it is built with original Norfolk County lumber hundreds of years old) with 1920s charm.
"We call ourselves the curators of this house," says Karin, 47.
Lionel grew up in Norfolk County. The couple decided to move to Port Dover from Vienna, Austria, after they came here for a family wedding and fell in love with the town.
The couple both gave up careers in Austria, which is Karin's home country, to make the move. Lionel, 50, was a successful musician while Karin was a television journalist and producer.
"We both had very good jobs in Vienna," says Karin. "We saved lots of money. We had the savings to do it."
They say they bought the house with the intention of living here for the long term, but their plans have changed. Vienna is calling them back. Karin is weary of Canadian winters, has job offers waiting for her back home, and has aging family members she needs to be close to.
"Some things are bigger than a house," says Lionel.
The Lodges say they realize the market for homes like this are narrow. It is already one of the pricier homes around town and requires someone who absolutely adores the character.
They say they've had people who are seriously interested in the home but have yet to get an offer they can accept.
Lionel puts the true cost of the renovation, when you add in their labour, at $1.2-$1.3 million.
Now they're just trying to get out of if what they've put into it.
But the Lodges say they have no regrets.
"We are adventurers," says Lionel. "We lust for adventure and new challenges."
"It changed us personally, it changed our relationship, it made us stronger," says Karin. "If it's only about recovering our investment value, yes, we regret it.
"It's been satisfying to build this with our own hands and see what we've built," she adds.
The couple's next adventure will take them back to Europe. When they go, they will leave behind a refurbished home that dates back to the town's earliest days and, until a few years ago, was more of an eyesore than a jewel.
For more information about the home, go to: www.genuinehouse.com.
Daniel R. Pearce
519-426-3528 ext. 132
twitter.com/danreformer
News Norfolk & Region
Couple's labour of love
By Daniel R. Pearce, Simcoe Reformer
Wednesday, July 31, 2013 5:15:36 EDT PM
Karin and Lionel Lodge spent five-and-a-half years restoring a historic home on McNabb Street West in Port Dover and have put it on the market. (DANIEL R. PEARCE Simcoe Reformer)