Taylor’s Rowhouse is where it all began. My first full-scale renovation—and the personal project that brought me back to Pittsburgh—the historic Lawrenceville rowhouse was taken down to the studs and thoughtfully reimagined for modern life, while preserving the character that made the old home worth saving.

The renovation began with a complete reworking of the floor plan. The original dining room became the kitchen, allowing the rear of the home to function as a true mudroom with direct access to two off-street parking spaces. Upstairs, the second floor was reconfigured to create two complete suites: an ensuite bath was added to the front bedroom, while two smaller rooms, a hallway, and the existing hall bath were combined to form a generous primary suite.

On the third floor, a large front dormer transformed what had been a dark bedroom by bringing in natural light and creating a more usable living space. A new bathroom was added at the rear, completing a third private ensuite.

Just as much care went into what we kept. I personally restored the home’s original woodwork, and the original hardwood floors were refinished rather than replaced. Outside, the historic cast-iron railing along the front walk was removed, sandblasted, and repainted to give new life to another piece of the home’s history.

This project became an early expression of what would eventually become the philosophy behind Domov: old homes don’t need to be stripped of their history to function beautifully for modern life. Sometimes the most thoughtful design comes from knowing what to change—and what deserves to remain.