By HEATHER RUPPE
A historic downtown Walterboro home is being renovated to its former glory and is soon going to be put onto the real estate market.
The house, located at 919 Wichman Street, is being renovated and refurbished by Nancy and Kevin Walsh. Nancy is a realtor with Jeff Cook Real Estate: this house is being renovated and restored prior to selling it through a special program called Jeff Cook Cares, which allows some properties to bought and then restored. “We are going to keep the history of it,” said Nancy Walsh. According to her, the house is keeping all of the original windows and the original woodwork is being preserved.
The house was most recently owned by David Harris, who bought it in the late 1980s. When his wife recently passed, he decided to sell the house, she said.
However, the house was first built in 1914 by a physician. At the time, it was the most expensive house in Walterboro, said Walsh. “The house has a guest bedroom downstairs and four bedrooms upstairs. It also has a beautiful, large dining room and a huge family room. My favorite room in the entire house is called the music room. It has amazing beams and the woodwork is amazing,” said Walsh.
As a part of the restoration, the house is undergoing some leak repairs and all electrical wiring will be updated. They are also adding a master bathroom suite.
“We have opened up the kitchen. We are going to have a gourmet kitchen.” There are fireplaces in every bedroom and also fireplaces in nearly every room,” she said. “It’s funny - there was no laundry room. I guess that wasn’t needed in 1914. So, we are adding a laundry room to the back.”
As for colors, they are going to keep it simple and original.
“The majority of the wood is a deep, rich, dark wood. It’s beautiful. The walls were an off white. We are going to keep it very similar to that original color palette,” she said.
The house renovations have also been recorded in a YouTube video, which is available for public viewing. The video shows oval windows, dark and intricate woodwork and newly-added gourmet kitchen accessories, including granite countertops.
Walsh said she hopes to have the house finished in 2022, with a target completion date of February. The project started in November of 2021.
According to her, the cost of the house will be in the mid-$600s, based on an appraisal.
To reach Nancy Walsh about this home, or other properties in the Lowcountry, she can be contacted at 843-718-4285.
