Tracy Crawford, the owner of Evergreen Home Real Estate, had a philosophy of embracing possibility and decided to pursue her dream home. Despite living in a sufficient house in Pittsfield, Mass. for seven years with her husband and children, Tracy always yearned for the impressive 1938 house they passed on their drives into the city center. The house was situated on a picturesque six-acre property with a barn and boasted a whopping 5,500 square feet of space. Tracy often referred to it as her dream home, even though it seemed out of reach.
In September 2017, the house was listed for sale by a bank, but the asking price of $1.3 million deterred Tracy from pursuing it. However, a year later, the house was still on the market, and the price had gradually dropped to around $1 million. Seeing an opportunity, Tracy and her husband decided to make an offer. They believed the bank would be eager to sell, so they bid the maximum they were willing to pay: $736,000. It was a long shot, but Tracy was determined. To their amazement, the bank accepted their offer, and they became the proud owners of their dream home.
Despite promising her husband that they wouldn’t need to renovate the house, Tracy couldn’t resist the urge to improve the property. She started by transforming the two-story barn into an apartment for guests. The wooded backyard was cleared to make way for a new pool and pool house, but this led them to realize that the rooms along the back of the main house were not ideal. They hired local architect Pamela Sandler to address this issue, as the house had many beautiful parts but lacked cohesion.
To create a more harmonious space, the back of the house was completely transformed. They demolished a sunroom and part of the old kitchen to install expansive windows and sliding-glass doors, opening up the house to a new covered porch. The floor plan was also redesigned, resulting in a generous mudroom and an expanded kitchen. With such a significant project, Tracy felt the need to bring in an interior designer. Despite the distance, her favorite designer, Heidi Caillier, was thrilled to be involved.
Collaborating over Zoom and email, Tracy and Heidi worked together to create a design that reflected Tracy’s inspiration board filled with images from Heidi’s portfolio. The design concept for the house centered around an Old World British with old Americana aesthetic, combining antiques, vintage pieces, and patterns. With the help of Berkshire Construction & Logging, the Crawfords moved into their barn apartment in September 2021, allowing the interior overhaul to begin.
The result of the renovation is a house that appears untouched for decades, with notable features such as a mudroom adorned with floral Farrow & Ball wallpaper and diamond-patterned wood floors. The living room is enveloped in sage-colored paneling, and the dining room showcases scenic murals painted by James Mobley. The furnishings blend a mix of beaten-up Swedish cupboards, custom-made pieces by Matthew Cox, and contemporary items like the living room sofa and painted puzzle artwork from BDDW.
The family moved back into the house in September 2022, with the finishing touches being completed shortly before the end of the year. The entire renovation cost approximately $1.8 million. The project will be featured in a book by Heidi Caillier titled “Memories of Home,” which will be published by Rizzoli next month. Although Tracy initially saw the house as her forever home, the rewarding process has left her eager to work with Heidi again.
Overall, Tracy’s unwavering determination, combined with the expertise of professionals like Pamela Sandler and Heidi Caillier, has transformed her dream house into a stunning, personalized home.
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