The Bulloch family has successfully completed a significant restoration of Hull House, a historic 1894 Queen Anne Victorian home in Traverse City's Boardman neighborhood. Acquired in 2020 by Kelly and Matt Bulloch, the project aimed to preserve the home’s original architectural details while updating its interior for their growing family, transforming what was once a dilapidated local landmark into a vibrant family gathering place.
Kelly Bulloch, a long-time resident of Traverse City, had admired the three-story Victorian for years, envisioning its potential despite its deteriorated state. The home, once a “crown jewel” of the neighborhood with its distinctive wrap-around porch and turret, had suffered from overgrown shrubs, flaking paint, and “ugly add-ons,” including an exterior stairway. Inside, Kelly recalled it being “pretty scary,” with cracked plaster, damaged ceilings, and outdated systems. However, key original elements remained in remarkably good condition, such as the tile around four fireplaces, elaborate carved woodwork featuring dragons and koi fish, built-in cabinetry, and massive pocket doors. The sheer scale of the rooms, with their 10-foot-high ceilings, also left an impression.
The Bullochs, who were not initially seeking a historic-home project but needed more space for their family, felt a mission to restore the property. Kelly expressed their philosophy by stating they feel “more like caretakers.” This guiding principle united the family with their architect, Peter Smith of DesignSmiths, who noted upon his first impression, “There’s so much good here, so much worth saving.”
The restoration focused on making the home lighter, brighter, and more livable for the family without overtly announcing 21st-century changes. Smith explained they aimed to avoid “leaving our fingerprints all over the place.” The kitchen underwent a substantial transformation, with Smith reclaiming square footage from an adjoining pantry to create space for a custom island. New custom cabinets, Calacatta marble counters, and aged-brass fixtures were added, resulting in a period-appropriate yet spacious kitchen that Kelly, an avid cook, appreciates daily. The master bathroom was another area of significant alteration to the floor plan, where part of an adjacent bedroom and an underused closet were repurposed to create a larger, more modern space. Elsewhere, the team focused on “amplify[ing] what was already there,” including getting two sets of main-floor pocket doors operational again.
The nearly 130-year-old house revealed several surprises during its restoration. Asbestos tiles were discovered under carpeted kitchen floors, necessitating careful removal. A large safe in the basement, initially hoped to contain treasures, was cracked open by a specialist only to be found empty. On the third floor, behind a wall near the turret, workers uncovered a “massive beehive” that required an expert for removal. Another alarming discovery involved the living room’s trio of leaded-glass windows, believed to be Tiffany glass, which were bowed outward by four or five inches due to significant deterioration on that side of the house. Saving these windows became a year-long process involving a repair specialist who gradually flattened the glass using weights.
Hull House was originally built in 1894 by industrialist Henry C. Hull, who made his fortune from Michigan forests, manufacturing wooden food containers at his Oval Wood Dish Co. factory at the north end of Boardman Lake. After Hull moved his company in 1917, the house served as a boarding house and later an adult foster care home before its recent acquisition and restoration.
Modern, family-friendly touches were also integrated. A fire pole was installed, extending from the kids’ third-floor playroom to the second-floor back porch for amusement. In the parlor, a sleek walnut-and-soapstone bar, crafted by Peter Jenks of Inception Woodworks, introduced a contemporary element. Kelly, initially hesitant about placing something so new in such an ornate room, ultimately embraced the idea, stating, “If it’s not going to be original, it just needs to be obvious that it’s new—let’s embrace that and make it beautiful.” The dining room features an 11½-foot solid-ash table, made by a Burkholder Construction carpenter, with rounded ends designed to accommodate large gatherings, creating an old-new juxtaposition that Kelly cherishes for everyday meals and special occasions.
The restored Hull House has become a cherished gathering place. During Christmas, the Bullochs’ extended family fills the home with as many as 30 people. The children have claimed favorite corners, with the oldest reading in the parlor and the youngest curled up on a living-room sofa or window seat. The middle child often plays basketball with neighborhood friends outside. Perhaps the most meaningful change was the reintroduction of a large, arched window on the south side of the house, which had been lost during a previous renovation. Architect Smith, after researching old photographs, brought the window back above the kitchen sink, overlooking the backyard. For Kelly, standing at the sink now brings joy, seeing children playing and the house actively used, rather than the neglected structure she once observed. “It makes me smile every time,” she said.
