Two years ago, house on tour was ‘unlivable’

Even though the foreclosed Grant Park triplex was in an advanced state of decay, there was something about the 1900 structure that spoke to Jose Luis Hernandez and Yuka Fujiu.

“It had some walls, some windows, some doors —- not necessarily attached,” Fujiu said. “And there were no light fixtures.”

“It wasn’t even livable,” chimed in Hernandez. “But something about it felt right. We came in here six or seven times, so we knew it would be a big project. But I wanted to do it. I liked that it was so big. Yuka told me, ‘You can bring your whole family in here!’ “

The couple bought the house on a corner of a dead-end street in July 2006 and have been working on it ever since. Next weekend they’ll share their progress with visitors on the Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes.

Guests will see a freshly painted, bright yellow wood exterior, framed by two floors of white lattice work that’s shaped into circles around the porch doors. Some of the siding was gone, so Hernandez scrounged for wood to match what was left. Inside, the couple laid new hardwood floors in the foyer, living and dining rooms.

Among the few relics still in place are the stained-glass window and the carved wood banister in the foyer; the tile work around the living room fireplace; and a set of pocket doors between the living and dining rooms.

The kitchen and sitting area had no floor when the two bought the house. Now, the space has a slate floor and modern amenities, including double ovens and a vented stove, built around a spacious marble island.

The focal point of the sitting area isn’t the original fireplace, but rather the retractable wide-screen that fit onto a large expanse of wall beneath the 12-foot ceilings. Two rooms and a bath off the back of the house are still being redone as guest rooms.

On the second floor, some of the moldings were damaged or removed to make way for the apartments’ private entrances. But there were enough pieces remaining for Hernandez to copy the style and replace it where needed.

The upstairs master bedroom connects to a front room with a fireplace. Hernandez carved a bathroom out of adjacent attic space, adding a tile floor and walls, skylights, a walk-in shower and a spa tub.

The hallway opens onto another bedroom, a laundry room and a hall bath that had a rotted floor when the couple first saw it. They reworked it with a stone floor, matching green glass sinks, a walk-in shower and a heart-shaped spa tub.

Their efforts included a transformation of the front yard that turned it into a formal garden with a slate path, boxwood hedges and potted plants inside a white fence.

“I didn’t know anything about restoring a house when we bought this, but I just went to it,” Hernandez said with a grin. “There was a feeling here that I liked. I think we were meant to be here.”

Showoffs wanted! Share your renovation, remodel or redo by calling 404-514-6162 or e-mailing hm_cauley@yahoo.com.

hm_cauley@yahoo.com

If you go

The Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes: 6-10 p.m. Saturday and Dec. 14; tickets $12 in advance, $15 on the day; Online orders: www.candlelighttourofhomes.com