There’s something about a home with history. The creak of century-old floorboards, the way light filters through original sash windows, the quiet dignity of carved stone arches.

When we first stepped into this Victorian Gothic Revival house on Harrow on the Hill, it felt less like a purchase and more like a calling.

This blog is a space to document our journey, not just the dust and decisions, but the emotional layers of reviving a home that’s seen generations before us. We’ll share design

choices, sourcing stories, unexpected challenges, and the small victories that make it all worth it.

Whether you’re a fellow designer, renovator, a lover of period architecture, or simply curious about how a family breathes new life into old bones, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here.

Stay tuned for our reveals over time. Rooms where Victorian drama meets modern warmth…..

Where it all began …. A personal journey through the restoration of our Victorian home on Harrow on the Hill - Welcome to Reviving Gothic Grace!

Our home has stood for over a century, watching seasons change and families grow. When we found it, it was tired but proud, full of character, quirks, and quiet beauty. This blog is our way of honoring its story while writing our own.

There’s a particular kind of silence on Harrow on the Hill. Not empty, but full of history, of tales, of the kind of stillness that invites reflection. When we first walked its winding lanes, framed by ivy-covered walls and Victorian rooftops, we felt the pull of place. It wasn’t just beautiful, it was resonant.

We weren’t looking for such a big project initially. We were looking for a home with soul. And we found it in a Gothic Revival house that had been waiting, quietly, for someone to listen.

Why We Chose Harrow on the Hill

Harrow isn’t just picturesque, it’s layered. The architecture speaks in arches and spires, the streets curve like a narrative, and the community feels both established and intimate. For a family relocating from Seattle, it offered a sense of rootedness we craved. It felt like a place where our turn here could unfold with grace, and our family not too far away!

First Impressions of the House

The house itself was… dramatic. Large Victorian sash windows, carved stone, and a kind of faded grandeur that made our hearts ache a little. It had quirks, uneven floors, drafty corners, paint and wallpaper that had seen better decades. But beneath the wear was a quiet dignity. We saw potential not just for restoration, but for reconnection.

Reviving Gothic Grace

Phase 1: Preparing the Bones

Before we ever slept a night beneath its roof, our Harrow Hill home had already begun to change.

Phase 1 of our renovation was all about preparing the canvas, stripping away what no longer served, revealing what was worth preserving, and laying the groundwork for everything to come. It was messy, meticulous, and strangely moving.

Clearing the Layers

We began by removing the old carpet from the middle and top floors. It was tired, threadbare, and hiding the potential beneath. On the middle floor, we laid engineered wood, warm, durable, and beautifully suited to the house’s proportions. The ground floor held its own treasures.

Original wood floors that we sanded and re-stained, coaxing out their grain and character. And in the entryway, we found a gift, stunning original tile, still intact. We kept it, of course. It felt like the house saying, “Thank you.”

Final Thoughts

Restoration isn’t just about what you change, it’s about what you choose to keep. In these early stages, we’ve begun to uncover the quiet beauty that’s been waiting beneath the surface, layer by layer. Every floorboard we’ve revealed, every tile we’ve preserved, feels like a conversation with the past, a way of saying, “We see you. We’re listening.” This journey is far from over, but already, the house is beginning to feel like ours. Not just a place to live, but a place to belong.

Thank you for joining us at the beginning. There’s so much more to come.

Next post …… Painting, and What It Revealed