News editor
When Katherine DeFilippis bought a house in the 200 block of E. Case St. in Lehigh, it was badly in need of restoration. She gutted it and had it rewired, along with a lot of other work.
When it came time to refill the house with flooring, walls, and furnishings, she continued the restoration theme with items converted from their original purpose.
“I think everything but the Sheetrock and light fixtures, I would say most of the furnishings have been repurposed,” DeFilippis said.
The stairs provide two examples of repurposed items. The railing came from an old church, and a marble landing near the bottom of the stairs was originally a tabletop.
The kitchen countertop used to be at The Lumberyard Inc., where DeFilippis is general manager. A glass waterfall sink in the bathroom was installed in an antique vanity.
One piece currently being repurposed is a wooden bench made from the headboard of an antique twin bedframe.
“I just picked up things from sales and garage sales,” DeFilippis said.
She estimated 60 percent of the furnishings in the house are repurposed or restored. She has done much of the work herself, but she also has worked closely with local craftsmen to restore and refinish materials.
With that house’s restoration complete, DeFilippis is on to her next restoration project.