You may remember 2011 as the year of Occupy Wall Street protests, the royal wedding between Kate Middleton and Prince William, and an unfortunate nationwide obsession with cake pops. It was also an interesting year in the Jamaica Plain housing market. While everyone else in town was playing it safe and securing their assets, Amy Vanko decided to take a big risk: she bought the most neglected house on the block at 11 Enfield Street. And she did it with glee.
Amy didn’t see the dilapidated kitchen, dirty walls, or ancient, peeling wallpaper. She looked past the closed-off, tree-shaded façade that resembled the home of every old hermit in any horror movie. Her parents renovated every home she lived in growing up. Following in their footsteps, she envisioned her dream, a single-family home in this vibrant neighborhood of Jamaica Plain.
That year, Amy renovated the entire home. She didn’t gut it outright—she wanted to preserve the home’s historic details—but she hired the right people to help her modernize the space and its utilities in a radical way. And Amy has continued to improve on the property ever since.
Now when you approach 11 Enfield, you feel the warmth of the spring sun shining into the new open porch, where Amy and her family have welcomed costumed kids on Halloween. Inside you can still experience the charming historical details, like the original wood floors, high ceilings, functioning pocket doors, and an original built-in china cabinet in the dining room. But instead of being stuck in the past, Amy’s upgrades have bumped the home into a much more stylish present.
The convenient second floor laundry room, deep, spacious closets are enough to make any homebuyer fall in love. But perhaps the most entrancing upgrade is the finished third floor, which went from a dark and dusty attic to a spacious and private master suite. Solar powered skylights with electronic blackout shades flood the space with light. The open concept floor allows for a resident’s interior creativity to run wild and the bright bathroom features a walk-in shower and double vanity.
Amy is creative, artistic, and a talented crocheter, and perhaps that’s how she was able to have such a vision for the property. Thanks to her efforts, 11 Enfield’s next owner will enjoy the best of both worlds in their newly renovated, four-bedroom Victorian gem.
Think you could be the next artistic eye to occupy 11 Enfield? Call us at 617-942-1741 to schedule a private showing.