Why a 1942 home had no main-floor bedroom or laundry, and how we joined two enclosed porches into a primary suite designed for living on one level.

How designer's block, a Gil Schafer book, and a hand-painted blue backsplash shaped the Granger Project kitchen, plus the 80-year-old floors we gambled on.

Before I chose a single finish, my husband and I went through everything the family left behind. A blue thread ran through all of it, the handkerchiefs, Mary Lou's 1952 bridal portrait, the home's original check linoleum. Here's how I let a 1942 colonial choose its own palette.