"We're still learning about this house," says Brian Kennedy as he steps through the front door of the old stone house on South Road in Plattekill. Inside, modern flooring has been peeled back to reveal old, wide-plank floorboards, and wall treatments - including dark vinyl panelling - have been ripped back to expose the original plaster. Sunlight pours in through the deep-set windows, whose elaborate frame moldings have been rehabilitated from the hacking blades of a previous renovation. Kennedy, who is restoring the property with his crew from Historic Housewrights, points out these and other elements of the house's "fabric" - the materials, features, finishes, and spaces that give the house its historic character.

Homeowners Amy Steckel and Ted Farhangi originally planned only a partial restoration of the house. But when Kennedy discovered 1850s Federalist details behind a closet they had asked him to remove in the living room, they were sold on the full treatment. "The more we took off," says Steckel, "the better it looked." As the restoration continues, Kennedy consults with the couple each time something new is discovered. "Brian is always pushing us - in a good way - to restore the house to its original condition," Steckel says.

But neither the couple nor Kennedy is holding fast to one particular architectural period. Instead, they are following the home's most appealing and dominant characteristics. So although the house dates back to 1811, says Kennedy, "the majority of elements is going to govern our choices." As a result, the house will have an exposed stone wall in the kitchen and, in the living room, wide-plank floors and restored windows complete with 1850s faux woodgrain painting.

Only four months along, the restoration is already reaping benefits. Neighbors stop by to thank the couple for removing the yellow vinyl siding that once covered the stone walls. And a woman in her 80s, who was born in the house, visited recently and regaled them with stories from her family's past. When the renovation is complete, not only will Amy and Ted have a beautiful home, with enhanced resale value, they will have preserved a small piece of Hudson Valley history.

Repair Rather than Replace
The historic restoration of homes has long been a going concern in the Hudson Valley, where old homes are plentiful and residents feel an abiding respect for history. Today one can find hundreds of historic houses, important examples of early American architecture, restored to original or near-original condition up and down the valley. Some are privately owned, while others are owned and maintained by local historical societies, which generally offer public access to the homes and provide research libraries where homeowners can learn about the history of their property.

There are several approaches to rehabilitating a property. Preservation, the most rigorous approach, emphasizes retaining all the historic fabric through conservation, maintenance, and repair. Restoration emphasizes the retention of materials from the most significant time in a property's history, while permitting the removal of materials from other periods. The oft-heard motto of preservationists and restorers alike is "repair rather than replace."

Restoration requires a careful analysis of existing materials, an educated eye, sound judgment, and vision. And like any endeavor that involves aesthetic judgment, it's very subjective. And expensive.

"It's the equivalent of restoring a painting," says Woodstock architect Barry Price. Price explains that a good architect can design an addition or plan renovations to be consistent and in harmony with the existing house, and complete the work using new materials at a lower price. Restoration, however, opens up a whole can of worms. It can involved loads of research, surgical demolition, and long searches for matching materials, not to mention potential constraints from landmark status restrictions. "It all depends on where people place value," says Price. "And in the end, cost is the most restrictive parameter."