Edgeworth home offers modern conveniences, antebellum-era charm

Patricia Happe says a house on a quiet residential street in Edgeworth is an example of restoration, not renovation.

The Italianate-gothic home, which dates to 1860, had had some changes done to it in an effort to lift it out of that antebellum era.

But its owners, John and Mary Menniti, took it back to its roots with one major, effective change: the addition of a bigger kitchen in what was once a porch.

The house is for sale for $650,000.

Work done by the Mennitis adds an intriguing touch to the home, said Happe of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services.

On the Maple Lane side of the house, a previous owner moved the front door away from an entrance area that is enclosed by wood. Happe said the Mennitis reopened that area back, converting it to the porch it once was.

They went the opposite direction on the other side of the house. There, Happe said, an owner in the early 1900s added a bedroom on the second floor. The house originally had three, one of which Happe believes was a maid's room.

Under the added bedroom, a large porch was constructed, facing the yard and a detached garage.

Happe said the Mennitis found the original kitchen, which was below the maid's quarters, to be too small, so they enclosed the porch and made it the home's kitchen.

The result is a large, modern cooking/gathering space with a center island and custom cabinets that match the moldings in the rest of the home. Acanthus leaf carvings a popular 19th century design element have been carried over from the fireplace in the living room to the kitchen. The old kitchen has become a laundry space.

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Edgeworth home offers modern conveniences, antebellum-era charm