Tom Covert is one of those designers/builders who respects the history of a place when he sets out to give it another shot. Case in point: 1118 Lee Street, a beautiful house I had the chance to photograph over the last two days.
The single-story Victorian shotgun house is on the west side of Covington, mere steps from Wunderbar! and Gutierrez Deli. The home is cozy with an old-world ambiance that also manages to have a distinctly modern, minimal aesthetic. All of it is enhanced by many windows and skylights that draw loads of natural light into the home, even on overcast days.
The song of the original wooden floors, recently refinished and still in possession of the perfect imperfections that give it character, follows underfoot as you move from one room to the next. Tasteful wooden accents beneath the vaulted ceilings intersect with bare, white walls above custom cabinetry that stretches from one side of the kitchen to the far end of the living room. The feather finish waterfall countertop of the kitchen island is a perfect place to post up and breathe in all of Tom's fine craftsmanship.
Outside, a six-foot-tall privacy fence surrounds the back of the yard. A modest patio wraps around a semi-circle of grass and connects the back door of the house to the massive alley-facing garage. Three old, square windows inside the garage face south, letting natural light spill into the vacuous space.
The house has a cellar accessible via an exterior cellar door next to the front door.
Honestly, for a single person or a couple who value historic architecture and minimalism, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better house in Covington. It was just listed today for $225,000. If you're in the market, you should probably get in there to see it while you can. I have a feeling this one will not last long.
Style By Kathleen staged the home for these photos. She did an excellent job choosing appropriate furniture and decor for this space. All of her additions do well to complement the finishes Tom chose.
You can see what the house looked like before on Tom's website. It's truly remarkable how he worked this one into what it is today.
Additional photos below.
