What’s a good recipe for restoring a Queen Anne style townhouse built in 1886, and located in Harlem’s landmark Sugar Hill section?  I asked the owners, singer, songwriter and musician Sean Altman and his wife, Soprano Inna Dukach. On the surface, the answer seems as simple as it is for any home like this: time, patience, good taste, luck, more patience, and more time.

Starting with the first thing, Sean and Inna bought this gem in May of 2005, and were able to move in as of October of 2007–so it took two and a half years to get the home to the point where they could comfortably live in it.

Sean says the most difficult part of the process was “dealing with sleazy contractors and inept workers.”  His advice to homeowners who are thinking of taking on a “fixer upper” like this one is straightforward. “When you’re considering hiring a contractor, get several references for completed work similar to [your project]. Visit those homes and talk to those people in private about their experiences with the contractor.”

As far as good taste, Sean and Inna have that covered.  The house has good bones to begin with, since it was designed by  renowned architec Henri Fouchaux. “The best parts of the house are the original elements: the oak staircase, the stained glass, the living room ceiling moldings, the foyer arch, and the huge pink skylight,” says Sean, adding that of the touches they added, two stained glass transoms [a window or cross-piece over a door], and the painting in the living room, are among their favorites.

Sean and Inna are also no strangers to color, and have used it to bring a vibrancy to several room in the home. “We like the ‘Van Gogh’ yellow in the living room because it feels very sunny, [although] it’s not likely true to the original palette,” explains Sean. The couple chose soothing, feminine colors for daughter Ruby’s room, including lavender walls and pale green rugs and window treatments.

Sean and Inna currently rent the home during their four-month European tour, which includes performances for both of them.  “It’s always been our plan to rent the house if we ‘re away for more than a month,” explains Sean.  As beautiful as the home is, Sean says their work is still not finished. “With a restoration like this, the work never really ‘ends’–it just ebbs temporarily.”

For more information, and more photos of the home, please visit www.HarlemElegance.com.

Last 5 posts by KellyThacher

• O Tannenbaum . . . - December 23rd, 2009
• Lighting a Candle - December 22nd, 2009
• All For Show - December 21st, 2009
• Faking it with Flowers - December 20th, 2009
• Color Clinic - December 19th, 2009

Author: Kelly Thacher

Kelly has been a writer since she was in grade school where she received early recognition for her Young Author's project. Magazines like Home Entertainment, Luxury Consumer Electronics, Vertical Living, Luxury Home and the Robb Report were happy to have Kelly's editing talents on various projects. A series of career twists and turns has offered her invaluable experience in journalism, magazine and book publishing, and fiction writing.

Kelly Thacher has written 30 articles for us.