The sound of the crashing wrecking ball has swelled to a crescendo as Nashville’s historic homes are razed with hedonistic abandon. Yet there are outliers, rare historic homes that have been cleverly refurbished while retaining their character. These are coveted.
Jeff Graham
Such a home sits at 1607 18th Avenue South, a Colonial Revival-style structure built in 1925 of hand-laid stone. It belongs to the Historic Preservation Easements Program, forever saving it from demolition. Dave Haverkamp, a self-taught designer, recently led a team in refurbishing this historic gem.
“It’s my passion,” he says. “I truly enjoy taking something that has potential that maybe not a lot of people see and bringing out that potential.”
Jeff Graham
Haverkamp’s largest project to date was an 1876 Dutch Renaissance home in East Nashville. This home is larger, at 6,200 square feet, with five bedrooms and five-and-a-half baths. He redesigned it with Michael Ward of Allard Ward Architects, who created the floor plans. Reid & Co. Construction managed the construction and The Conley House staged it to sell.
Jeff Graham
The home was last occupied by the late Betty Nixon, a metro council member known for her historic preservation work as well as her place as one of the first women to run for mayor.
Original oak floors and a hand-carved marble fireplace are among the preserved elements, while the kitchen and master suite—Haverkamp’s favorites—are new.
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Jeff Graham
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Jeff Graham
The master suite, complete with a sitting room, was carved out after the original kitchen was gutted. Its bathroom walls are lined in honeycomb-shaped Carrera marble tiles, while Moroccan encaustic tiles make a star pattern on the floor. A soaking tub is illuminated by two large windows.
“This master suite is very beautiful, but it’s also very functional,” Haverkamp says.
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Jeff Graham
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Jeff Graham
The new kitchen and great room are modern luxury, complete with a stone fireplace. This space was originally a master suite. Now, fully-custom cabinets flank a Wolf eight-burner cooktop and new windows allow for a view. The island was crafted from wood taken from lanes at a 100-year-old bowling alley in Kentucky.
“It just adds a little bit of character,” Haverkamp says.
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Jeff Graham
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Jeff Graham
Other additions include a large screened porch with a gas fireplace and a dining room converted from the original side porch.
“When they are remodeled in a respectful way, with features that people want for today’s use, these unique old structures become highly desirable,” Haverkamp says. “They are few and far between.”