3225 Orleans Street
Constructed around 1930, this cozy Craftsman-style house was something of a fixer-upper by 2013. Nathan and Sara were looking for just such a house, however, and when they saw this one last August, they decided to go for it. It was already under contract—but when that buyer suddenly backed out because of the knob and tube wiring, Nathan and Sara got their fixer-upper after all.
And fix it up they did: They opened up the wall between the kitchen and dining room and installed recessed lighting, a dishwasher, and a new sink. They removed all of the carpet and refinished the original hardwood floors in the living room, dining room, upstairs hallway, and staircase. They repainted most of the house as well. And, of course, they hired an electrician to replace that knob and tube wiring.
In the entryway, note the original woodwork on the staircase, which was stripped and refinished in March 2014. The original woodwork is intact throughout the entire house. The living room features a beamed ceiling, a 1920s wardrobe, and Sara’s great grandfather’s boot bench.
Nathan's family has been living on the North Side of Pittsburgh since the 1800s. His mother grew up on Perrysville Avenue, and his dad grew up in the Marshall-Shadeland area. Nathan grew up across the highway in Reserve Township, but he spent a lot of time in Riverview Park and always loved the old homes in Observatory Hill. And now, he and Sara are continuing the family tradition of making the North Side their home.