Today, we invite you to join us as we take a closer look at the rehabilitation of two charming stone homes. These touching stories of hard work and determination may serve as inspiration for your own dream project. Let’s step inside …

Stone Manse in Mystic

The first tale comes from The Day, a daily newspaper out of New London, Connecticut. Reporter Ann Baldelli tells the story of the Stone House, a circa-1825 granite home built by banker Elias Brown and later purchased by the Stanton brothers. Descendants of the Stantons have pulled resources to restore the grand home, left in ruins after a tragic fire in 1924.

By the time all’s said and done, family members will have spent $1.3 million on the renovation. Plans are to use the home and seven-acre property as a family vacation getaway as well as a source of income via VBRO rentals. Read more about Mystic’s Stone House here.

Country Getaway Not Far From NYC

The second story comes directly from the owner: New York City artist, floral designer and interior stylist Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo, who has chronicled the restoration of her old stone home, the Ella Speer house, via Instagram, twitter and her own blog. The home, located in Rockland County, New York, and built in 1936, has only had three owners, yet still required its share of troubleshooting and TLC. Dragoo’s imagery is simply stunning and she shares, step by step, her inspirations for each space via Pinterest pics, color palettes and fixtures. See the restoration of the #newoldstonehouse here.