There’s a flat-faced row house at 46 Clarendon Street in Boston’s South End. It used to blend in, minding its own business among the brick and mortar clones. We decided it was time for a change.
We left the front façade alone. After all, the past clings to these streets like stubborn ivy. No need to upset the neighbors or the ghosts. But the rear of the house, the side that stares into the alley—that’s where we got bold.
We opened it up. Modernized it. Extended it like a hand reaching for something better. We added walk-out decks on multiple floors because, let’s face it, everyone needs a place to escape, even if it’s just a few feet from the kitchen.
Inside, we tore out the old and brought in the new. Open floor plans, high ceilings, windows that let the light pour in like it’s got nowhere else to go. High-end finishes and all the modern amenities we could think of. It’s a luxury residence now.
The front whispers stories of the past; the back tells a different tale altogether. It’s a dialogue between what was and what can be. Maybe that’s what progress looks like—a house that doesn’t know whether it’s coming or going.
But it’s home to someone now, and that’s what matters.
So it goes.