WWhen Wendy Morrison purchased her North Carolina cottage in 2012, she could see past its decade of renter neglect. Mustard yellow walls, a leaking roof, and worn floors didn’t dissuade her. Instead, she found motivation in the idea of her home’s first family, embracing the energy of their 1920s middle-class life. “From the start, my focus was preserving the integrity of this home’s history,” Wendy recalls.
Her neighborhood is decidedly bohemian, with eclectic boutiques, creative cafés, and architectural restoration. So when it came time to revive her 1927 cottage, Wendy wanted to blend many of the home’s original features with an inviting, livable space for her own busy family.
The kitchen became her first project. When she moved in, a 36-inch stove with no ventilation dominated the 9 x 9…
