Lock your doors, folks — we were at it again with another house crash. This time we visited Union Hill in Richmond to see Diana Mathews, one of the gallery stars we met at Quirk. We’d heard about the incredible century-old American Foursquare Diana and her family renovated three years ago (now shared with three roommates), so we went to take a look.
Diana’s house exceeded expectations. Neighbors even called the renovation “a gift to the neighborhood,” and when you see the before-and-after photos it’s easy to understand why. The exterior went from near-demolition to beautifully restored: the family added a stacked balcony and fence with hand-carved accents made by Diana’s father, classic trim and columns crafted to match the original woodwork, and thoughtful details that respect the home’s history.
When Diana began hunting for a house a year earlier, she deliberately looked for a serious fixer-upper. This wasn’t a casual project — she wanted to put her family’s renovation and restoration skills to work and save the house from demolition. They purchased the condemned property for just $45,000 and set to work restoring original features while adding new, sympathetic elements. The mix of craftsmanship and historic detail gives the exterior a cohesive, authentic look.
Inside, Diana blends restored historic details with a playful, eclectic personal style. Her music room pairs an exposed brick fireplace with built-in shelving arranged by color — a striking, organized visual that feels both deliberate and lively. She applied the same color-based organization to her DVD collection later in the living room, adding a surprising, tidy punch of personality to the space.
The music room is one of the original first-floor rooms in the foursquare. Diana opened up walls to connect the kitchen and living room, turning what used to be four rooms into three more open, flowing spaces — she jokingly calls the remaining room the “art room.” She preserved sections of original brick to help define zones while painting a bold apple-green wall to visually link the kitchen and living area. High ceilings and open sightlines enabled a few bold choices: her grandfather’s antique dentist chair now serves as an eccentric art/conversation piece, and the household includes a lovable dog named Bruce who adds warmth to the home.
Flooring was a challenge because the house had limited salvageable planks. Diana and her family gathered rescued wood from around the house and used it to restore floors in the foyer and music room, while installing new hardwood elsewhere that blends seamlessly with the century-old boards. Beautifully trimmed French doors open onto a downstairs balcony, framed by woodwork that matches the care and craftsmanship evident throughout the renovation.
The personal style carries upstairs into the four bedrooms. Diana rents three of them to friends and family, so we only photographed her private bedroom. Her space mixes antique furniture, original art from Quirk, and budget-friendly finds like an IKEA rug to create a warm, layered room with distinct character. The bathroom is equally stylish, showing that thoughtful design can be practical and accessible.
A house like this naturally encourages its occupants to stay — and it’s easy to see why Diana and her roommates love it. This renovation wasn’t a quick flip for profit; it was a committed restoration that preserved history, added personality, and gave back to the neighborhood. Thanks to Diana for letting us crash her wonderfully restored foursquare — and a final note from the photographer: Burger asked that Bruce please not eat him.