In Michigan, USA, a church built in 1898 is being transformed into a home after a 45-year-old interior designer decided to give the old building a new life and turn it into the house she had always dreamed of.
Whitney Anderson bought the property for $45,000, embarking on an extensive restoration to fulfill a longstanding wish that had begun in her childhood.
Të lidhura
None found
During the more than 30 years she lived in New York and built her career, Anderson searched for a church she could convert into a home. The idea first came to her as a child, when she went to church with her grandparents and was fascinated by the architecture, stained glass and unique atmosphere of such buildings.
For years, she saved for the project, setting aside nearly $250,000. In the spring of 2024, she saw a listing on Zillow for an old property in Michigan that included an abandoned church and a rectory.
The property was initially listed for $125,000. After negotiations, Anderson bought the church for $45,000 in June 2024. The agreement included the church building, measuring around 325 square meters, the attached residence and a 930-square-meter plot of land.
The building required considerable work before it could be used as a home. The roof was badly damaged and had large holes, while water infiltration had caused dampness and mold inside. During the inspection, the condition of the property forced Anderson to wear a protective mask.
After two years of restoration work, Anderson has spent around $194,000. She expects the total bill not to exceed $400,000 and is doing much of the work herself to keep costs down.
The designer does not hide the fact that the project is a high-risk financial undertaking and that it is still unclear whether the investment will prove profitable.
She has named the project “Chouse,” combining the English words church and house. The aim is to preserve as many of the building’s original features as possible.
The first phase of the work includes repairing the roof, waterproofing the building and treating the damage caused by dampness and mold. At the same time, Anderson is trying to preserve the historic elements that define the church’s character.
The original stained-glass windows, 1940s light fixtures and wooden pews are among the features she wants to incorporate into the new home. Some of them will be reused to make furniture and a large library.
For Anderson, the work is more than the renovation of a property: it is the realization of an old dream and an effort to revive a historic building while preserving traces of the past.
Although the project is still far from complete and the expenses involve considerable risk, she hopes to show that an abandoned church damaged by time can be transformed into a unique home where history intertwines with design.
