MANSFIELD — A number of first-time homeowners in Mansfield are taking advantage of the current housing market to renovate choice older homes in the area.
Young buyers, with a vision and a passion for do-it-yourself, have transformed classic homes into modern-day abodes.
Mansfield native Josh Werner was drawn to his 1939-era home on Glenwood Boulevard because of the area’s historical ties. Throughout his home search, Werner came back to his home three times before deciding to buy.
“I liked houses that had a little DIY you needed to do, because you get to choose what you want instead of a home someone remodels,” Werner said. “I liked coming here and the house was in really good shape when I moved in, but I could see things that I would do differently that I liked to make it mine.”
The 26-year-old purchased his home in November 2015, and has slowly begun the process of renovation. The biggest project Werner hopes to tackle is refinishing hardwood floors throughout the house.
“I could’ve left the carpet down and called it a day, but I like wood flooring and there is hardwood throughout the entire house,” Werner said. “I’ve refinished floors before and I really enjoy it; I’m replacing boards in the floors right now.”
One major project already checked off Werner’s list was remodeling the kitchen. Green linoleum from the 1970s, with a corresponding green ivy paint job, was replaced with dark flooring and blue paint to contrast with crisp white counters and cabinets.
Werner has also repainted most of the ground level rooms in his two-level home. He noted most of the changes are purely aesthetics.
“For me, it’s a blank canvas here,” Werner said. “Coming from an apartment, I didn’t have a lot of furniture because I didn’t need it and didn’t have space for it. Now my house feels so bare.”
Werner’s 1939 home has many touches reminiscent of the Art Deco style of that era. It’s a popular style in Mansfield homes, including that of husband and wife Matt and Lindsey Wicker. Both homes feature crystal doorknobs and rounded archways.
“We’ve accepted that as part of the charm of the house,” said homeowner Matt Wicker. “The doors have the original skeleton key locks and we haven’t changed any of the doors or windows. Personally, I think the windows make the house.”
While their home was well taken care of by the previous owner, the Wickers chose to take on a massive remodeling to modernize the outdated décor. White carpets that covered the entire downstairs were replaced with vinyl planking, and wallpaper in every room was stripped and replaced with paint.
“There are still places that need to be touched up, but it’s a work in progress,” said Wicker. “As a homeowner, I’m finding you’re never done, there’s always a project that needs done.
“It’s a never-ending process, you always get further than you were but before you know it there’s something else that needs fixed or replaced.”
The Wickers’ 1940 home was a far cry from their original plan of building a log cabin in the country. Factors including the cost and timeframe of building a cabin and commute times to work ultimately swayed them into purchasing the home, as well as their long-term plans.
“The location and size is perfect for us because we don’t have kids and we are planning on moving overseas, so we’re trying to avoid accumulating a lot of stuff,” Wicker said. “I absolutely love it the longer I live here; I’m becoming more attached because everywhere I look I see the personal touches we’ve done, and all the time and equity we’ve put into it.”
In the future, Werner hopes to expand his backyard to include raised gardens and other landscaping projects. The addition of a yard was a big selling point when moving from an apartment to a house.
“I have more space, and dollar-for-dollar I pay about what I did in my apartment versus owning, and this time I actually have a plot of land,” Werner said. “To me renting is throwing money down the drain because you don’t own anything at the end of the day; the ownership part was a big incentive for me.”
A sense of ownership was a selling point for Wicker as well. However, he noted with home ownership also comes more responsibility.
“You’re responsible for all the finances; if something breaks or you want something replaced, you’re paying for it,” Wicker said. “There is definitely more responsibility, and there’s a lot of little costs people don’t realize they’re going to have to pay. There is always stuff you had no idea was going to happen.”
Still, Wicker shares a love of do-it-yourself with Werner, and noted a vision is important when searching for an older home.
“When I walked through the house for the first time, I saw all the changes I was going to make,” Wicker said. “I have an eye for that stuff, so when we came in here I definitely saw the potential. I’m constantly seeing things for what they could be, and breathing life back into something.”
