Architectural Ghosts: A Window Into the Past

Historic Charleston Living Room

Some of the most compelling details in a historic home are the ones you weren’t expecting to find.

During this 18th C. Historic Charleston renovation, we uncovered an original window frame hidden behind an original exterior wall, adjacent a 20th C. addition, a small but remarkable reminder of the building’s evolution. We love these moments when a structure reveals a little of its own history, offering clues to how it was built, and how it evolved. We chose to infill the window with a plaster finish complimentary to the exterior revealed wall finish. The hinge pins, which would have held the shutters are still present dotting the frame of the window.

These are architectural ghosts: traces of the past that linger beneath layers of renovation, waiting to be found. Rather than erase them, we look for opportunities to honor these details and let them inform the design.

Because sometimes, the most meaningful part of a renovation isn’t what we add, but what we uncover and choose to keep.