Go Painting recently completed one of its most ambitious projects. A full restoration and painting of a historic 1885 Victorian home on St. Ronan Street in New Haven. This Victorian house painting in New Haven needed detailed exterior and interior work, which included reglazing, wood repair, and interior and exterior painting. The project not only refined the home’s original look, but also ensured its durability for years to come.
Project Overview
Type of property: 1885 Victorian
Location: St. Ronan Street, New Haven, CT
Scope: Full interior painting (winter), exterior painting (spring), comprehensive window reglazing
Collaborator: Geoffrey, window reglazing using linseed oil techniques
Carried out in two phases to honour New Haven’s character and the preservative value of the home, this was a comprehensive interior and exterior painting project done by our experts.
Winter work was thoroughly focused on the interiors, preparing the plaster walls, ceilings, and the intricate trim, while the spring brought in the most optimal conditions for the exterior repair, priming, and the coat finish. Throughout the projects, we closely monitored and coordinated with Geoffrey, a preservation specialist, to remove, reglaze, and reinstall every window using traditional linseed oil window restoration methods.
Interior Painting Phase (Winter)
Timeline: Winter months (temperature-controlled interiors)
Scope of work: Careful preparation and repainting of walls, ceilings, and original millwork
We start with a room-by-room assessment, mapping hairline plaster cracks, past patchwork, and areas of moisture staining. The preparation process included gentle cleaning, plaster repairs, sanding profiles on the crown, casings, and baseboards to maintain the sharp lines that make 19th-century detailing an icon.
Preserving historical charm:
- Kept the original sheen hierarchy. Softer, washable eggshell on walls for a period-appropriate glow; matte/flat on ceilings to hide minor surface undulations.
- Selected a palette that respects Victorian warmth without weighing rooms down, calm neutrals in circulation spaces, richer tones in parlors, and airy hues in private rooms.
Challenges & care:
- 19th-century plaster moves with the seasons. We used flexible, paintable fillers at micro-crack locations to mitigate future telegraphing.
- Intricate trim demanded hand work, no rushing with sprayers, where it could compromise edges or flood delicate carvings.
- Lead-safe work practices were followed throughout prep and cleanup.
As a result, the interiors now feel renewed yet true to their historic alliance, with clean lines and natural light flowing across the room just as it was intended.
Exterior Painting Phase (Spring)
When spring arrived, we turned to the exterior. The Victorian façade showed typical wear, sun damage on the south elevation, cupped clapboards, and failing caulking joints.
Historical paint colors and surface prep:
- Conducted spot scraping to sound paint, feather-sanded transitions, and performed epoxy wood repairs where appropriate, especially on sills and water-shedding details.
- Primed bare wood promptly to prevent flash-weathering and maintain adhesion integrity.
- Selecting a period-true color scheme that honors neighborhood context: a body color with depth, a cleaner trim for contrast, and a restrained accent on brackets and porch details.
Window Reglazing & Preservation Work
Window reglazing is important for historic homes as it protects the window from moisture, preserves the original wood, extends the life of the sash, and retains the historic authenticity of the architecture. In this St. Ronan Street project, Geoffrey took charge of the preservation, recording each window and taking it apart.
He reglazed with linseed oil, a traditional material that has great flexibility with old-growth wood, allowing the assemblies to breathe, and conforms to the visually authentic qualities of aging wood that modern impostors cannot provide.
As part of the window reglazing work in New Haven each sash was carefully reinstalled and hardware adjusted for smoother operation. Our standard process is simple but thorough: remove, restore, repaint, and reinstall, no shortcuts.
Meet the Crew
At Go Painting, every historic home painting in New Haven is only as strong as the leading team behind it. For this project, our painting contractors in New Haven embedded craftsmanship, clear communication, and attention to detail that delivered results that homeowners can trust.
- Billy, Project Lead: Oversaw sequencing, quality control, and direct homeowner communication to keep the process smooth and stress-free.
- Chris, Lead Painter: Managed colour layout, finish schedules, and interior detailing for a consistent look throughout the home.
- Danilo, Prep & Repairs: Handled feather sanding, epoxy work, and profile preservation to maintain the home’s historic trim.
- Joe, Exterior Specialist: Repaired clapboards, ensured primer integrity, and monitored weather for flawless exterior application.
- Lamont, Finishes & Punch List: Perfected sheen consistency, completed sash touch-ups, and conducted the final walk-through.
Project Highlights
This St. Ronan home has been transformed inside and out. The old, chalky paint has been replaced with a fresh finish that respects its history. The plaster is clean and smooth, the millwork restored, and the windows reglazed for beauty and durability.
We did multi-stage inspections to make sure the quality lasts. You can see the transformation in before-and-after photos and videos of the work in progress. The homeowner is proud to welcome you back inside.
Watch here to see the process carried out by our experts.
Thinking about your own historic property?
Historic home painting in New Haven has mastered the art of historic property painters’ work, regardless it be an exterior or the interior, perfectly aligned for New Haven’s climate, respectful of the original materials, and executed with the best patience. Go painting CT is here, book a site visit or request an estimate, and we will talk to you thoroughly, set expectations clearly, and map out the plan regarding your home’s past while preparing it for the future.
