Discreetly historic

For Latimer, that appreciation came from her father and growing up in the Craftsman-style home.

Latimer said her father was a preservationist and she recalls going on drives with him through the city.

"He would always have a story for everything," she said.

Ramme became familiar with preservation work early in his career as a designer and contractor.

The couple moved in with their three children and almost immediately began their restoration and renovation project.

"There has been some wear and tear but with a house like this, it is a constant project," Ramme said.

What Latimer and Ramme said they found when they moved in was a home in good condition but it still needed work.

The second floor rooms were uninhabitable because her father did not throw away much and had accumulated boxes and boxes of family items.

"I couldn't, didn't want to get rid of stuff," Latimer admits.

For the first couple of months in their new home, they went through all the items which included family clothes and photos dating back to the 1930s. Truckloads of the family items were donated to the Museum of History and Art, Ontario.

In some instances, the family's unwillingness to let go of personal artifacts helped preserve historical items in the home, she said.

"Thank God, no one threw anything away," Latimer says.

Latimer admits her grandmother did a lot of remodeling to the home. Luckily, for the duo, they were only minor structural changes, leaving intact historical features such as the wood shelves around the fireplace as well as the antique Stickley dining room table and shelves.

Not all of the work the couple has done is visible, Ramme said. Improvements include bolting the house to its foundation, as well as adding exposed beams to help support a balcony, he said.

They also made the home a little more functional for daily use, such as adding air conditioning and heating. They have also upgraded the plumbing and wiring and installed solar panels, Ramme said.

Inside, the home's wooden cabinetry, molding and flooring are all original.

The maid quarters was converted into the laundry room, and they also replaced windows that weren't functioning or deteriorated.

Ramme and Latimer also refurbished original light fixtures as well as adding replica fixtures.

As Ramme walks through the newest part of the home, he begins to envision a remodeled kitchen. He said they are considering remodelling it to make it period appropriate.

"It has a lot of potential," he said.

"It's our house," Latimer said. "I appreciate its history but we've made it our own."