A Restored 1860s Vermont Farmhouse Showcasing Historic Craftsmanship and Period Color

ByAlyssa Clough,Photography byBelle Morizio,Styling byMolly Velte

PublishedApr 25, 2026 5:20 AM EDT

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Acquiring a dream home by bidding on a foreclosure in a dirt driveway is not the path most people take, yet it is how Julia Noran Johnston—founder of Domino’s sister publication, Business of Home—secured hers. The 1860s farmhouse offered considerable appeal even after four years vacant: a bucolic Vermont setting, lake access, and, crucially, age. “We don’t buy anything that’s not super old,” notes Johnston, a self-described antiques enthusiast.

The property carried a distinguished pedigree, with only three prior owners—including descendants of the founders of the Cranbrook Academy of Art—along with a family that had left behind extensive collections of furnishings and objects.

As is typical with foreclosures, there was a complication: Johnston and her husband could not view the interiors except by peering through the windows. The auction was tense, but once they were confirmed as the new owners, the process settled. “We got to walk through the house that day and it was amazing,” she recalls, noting the original wide-plank pine flooring and windows. “It was really spacious and obviously needed a decent amount of work, but it was in good, solid shape.”

Nine months later, the family was hosting Christmas gatherings. The holiday served as a deadline for completing the “first draft” of the home, though it would take an additional year to fully realize Johnston’s vision for the seven-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom farmhouse. “It looks humble and unassuming, and then you walk in and it just rambles and rambles,” Johnston notes.

Stewardship of historic homes is a responsibility Johnston takes seriously; the maintenance and complications are not merely expected but welcomed. The previous owners, who acquired the property in the 1990s, “did the really hard renovations,” as she describes—including the installation of proper plumbing and electrical systems. They also constructed two additions in a U-shape, which Johnston considered excessive for her family. To introduce more natural light, frame a grander view, and reduce square footage, she had one of the newer wings demolished.

Additional architectural quirks presented engaging design challenges. One was the slanted witch window in one of the bedrooms, which required a custom window treatment. Following extensive research, Johnston consulted designer Hadley Wiggins through The Expert, who proposed a grommet-based solution. Ultimately, Johnston settled on a treatment of two stretch rods and fabric panels from an Etsy maker. Another consideration: she discovered that removing very old wallpaper from very old plaster risks compromising the surface. As a result, the children’s rooms and upstairs bedroom were plastered and painted from the outset.

Not every room required an extensive renovation. A coat of black paint and a repurposed dressmaker’s table serving as an island were all the kitchen needed. Functionally, the only essential update was replacing the Garland stovetop, which Johnston describes as “a commercial kitchen gas monstrosity”—each time it was activated, the carbon monoxide detector would trigger. The verdant freestanding tub and matching pipe in one guest bathroom were retained as-is, integrating seamlessly with her palette preferences. “I really like the icky colors,” Johnston admits, referring to shades of pink and taupe she characterizes as “kind of muddy and a little bit ugly, but somehow very comfortable and peaceful.”

For the interiors, she drew inspiration from old English homes and collected farmhouses. “You have so much more that you can do—there’s flexibility, forgiveness, and character,” she says of furnishing a historic house. “And I love antiques. I love being able to incorporate what they left behind.”

Johnston and her husband, with their two children, sifted through the home’s cast-offs as a shared pursuit. Sawdust-filled dolls, painted family portraits, and a trunk now serving as a coffee table in the sitting room led the family down “rabbit holes of research.” To fill in the gaps, Johnston sourced multiple carloads of antique end tables, nightstands, art, and books from local shops. Beyond fresh upholstery, a $300 Etsy staircase runner, and select pieces in the blue-painted addition, little in the home is new. Beyond personal preference, the proportions of antique furniture simply suit the smaller scale of these rooms better than their larger contemporary counterparts.

Today, the home’s entry stores skis during winter and functions as a towel-washing station after long days at the lake in summer. In warmer weather, the barn houses goat kids, chickens, and the occasional bunny, along with an “antiques graveyard” that is cleared out several times a year. Broken chairs and other rejects are left at the curb for neighbors who enjoy restoration. This past Christmas, eighteen family members gathered around the dinner table to celebrate.

Alyssa Clough

Writer/Social Strategist

Alyssa started her career at Domino, serving as a digital editor before becoming our first-ever social media manager. Her defining accomplishment: helping build Renovator’s Notebook. She continued her career at industry leaders Semihandmade and West Elm. Now, she works with interior designers and furniture companies to tell their stories on social and beyond. Bold color, vintage designs and sustainable living are her calling cards.

Belle Morizio

Staff Photographer & Assoc. Photo Editor

Belle is the in-house photographer and associate photo editor for Domino, capturing everything from home tours to gift guides, plus the occasional how-to project. She joined the photo team as an intern in 2018 and was brought on full time in January 2021.

Molly Velte

Stylist

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