Kim Hasty Sunday Life editor @hastykim

Gallons of fresh paint, solid new floors, gleaming appliances, state-of-the-art technological touches. So much thought and effort went into updating this stately two-story Colonial which sits in amazingly tranquil fashion just off busy Bragg Boulevard.

And yet, the real key to making this extensive renovation sing is the blue-eyed, curly-haired little pixie bouncing, twirling and dancing from one room to the next.

Four-year-old Remy Barrington's perpetual exuberance even manages to outshine all the new stainless, granite and mood lighting.

You have to think her late great-grandparents would approve.

Carl Adam Barrington Sr. built this home on Barrington Circle in 1946 after returning from serving in the Navy in World War II and opening a law practice that would endure for 25 years. He and his wife Pat went on to serve as the welcoming hosts for years of Christmas Eve dinners, Easter egg hunts and energetic grandchildren.

"My best childhood memories were of coming to this house for holidays,'' said Fayetteville lawyer Adam Barrington.

Adam shared the stories of the Norman Rockwell-worthy gatherings with his wife of 10 years, Beth, including how his grandfather would gather the grandchildren around the fireplace on Christmas Eve, then rap on the mantel to call forth the imaginary character "Ragbag.''

"Ragbag lived in the attic,'' Adam Barrington said. "He was as big as a horse, but lived in a peanut shell. Anything we grandchildren would ask he would discount by saying, 'Aw, horse feathers.' I loved it.''

The elder Barrington died in 1994. Pat Barrington continued to live in the home until she died in 2009. An uncle lived here until his death in 2014, but the house sat vacant for over three years.

By then, it had fallen into disrepair. Yet, the young family was game.

"I knew it had a lot of potential,'' said Beth Barrington, a mental health counselor. "It had good bones.''

And all those good memories.

"Obviously, there was the sentimental factor,'' Adam said.

But bringing the home back to life would take 15 months of work for the family and Johnny Cain Builders, including knocking down walls to create an open floor plan that flows from kitchen to living area.

"We love to entertain, so we wanted a big island in the kitchen,'' Adam Barrington said. "But people didn't have big kitchens back then. They had formal dining rooms and living rooms.''

The house, originally 2,200 square feet, is now about 2,500 square feet and sits on about an acre lot. Mature hardwood trees remain, along with new sod, but gone are the 14 pine trees that were threatening to fall. A red door with frosted glass welcomes visitors, as do the gas fixtures that frame the door with soft lighting.

Inside, a 14-foot granite-top island spans nearly the length of the kitchen and includes a commercial-grade gas stove and open cooking surface. Lights underneath the new kitchen cabinets not only add soft illumination, but also delight Remy in their ability to be changed to a rainbow of colors on a whim. The walls are painted a soft neutral gray throughout the home, and the floors are constructed of engineered, hand-scraped birch. The Barringtons added technological touches that include a refrigerator that offers recipes and a daily planner, and a voice-activated device that allows for everything from music to turning the lights off and on.

A gas fire pit is the center of the covered outdoor living space out back, where the Barringtons opted to put their well-loved leather pieces to good use instead of typical outdoor furniture.

They were finally able to move into the home in June, where they are now able to start making memories of their own with their little girl.

"God willing, she'll get married and have kids of her own and bring her kids here,'' Adam Barrington said. "And I'm sure there'll be a Ragbag sighting or two.''

Go here to see the original:
Restoration of 1946 two-story Colonial a labor of love - Fayetteville Observer

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August 7, 2017 at 6:41 am by Mr HomeBuilder
Category: Home Restoration