Restoration - Körner's Folly

Archive for the ‘Restoration’ Category

Summer Kitchen Restoration Begins at Körner’s Folly, Despite Wintry Weather

Historic Körner’s Folly, 413 S. Main St., is delighted to announce the upcoming restoration of the Summer Kitchen, slated to begin in early February 2022. The Foundation looks forward to returning the Summer Kitchen to its original 1910 appearance, reflecting how the room would have looked at the height of Körner family activity in the home. This effort is made possible through the Historic Preservation Fund, a pass-through grant for historic preservation projects in Certified Government Jurisdictions, administered by the State Historic Preservation Office.

Added to the home in 1910, the Summer Kitchen is the only addition to Körner’s Folly that is not made of brick. The room was built as a secondary kitchen, used primarily during the hot summer months to keep heat from cooking away from the main house; the thin walls and many windows allowed for better ventilation. During the rest of the year, this room was used for food preparation. The large wooden table, original to the room, was used to shell, dry, pit, and can a variety of nuts, fruits, vegetables, and herbs. In family documents, the Summer Kitchen is sometimes referred to as “the servants’ dining room;” where the staff the Körner family employed would have taken their daily meals.

In the years since its construction, the Summer Kitchen has weathered severe damage. In the 1940s, tree roots that grew up through the foundation, causing cracks and settling. This foundation damage also caused the wood-paneled walls to separate in areas. The scope of this restoration project includes excavating and re-pouring the concrete foundation and sidewalk around the building, replacing the 1950s-era tile with historically appropriate penny tile, repairing the wooden wall panels, adding insulation to stabilize temperature and humidity levels, and lastly, returning the color scheme back to Jule Körner’s original design.

Though utilitarian in nature, the Summer Kitchen features detailed paneled walls, crown moldings, and fluted classical pilasters. Originally, these intricate design elements were painted in a shade of a pinkish-cream oil paint. The wall panels were a light grey and most cabinet and shelving units were painted black, with the exception of the open shelves, which were painted a rich red hue.

This restoration is projected to be completed in time to celebrate National Historic Preservation Month in May 2022. For interested visitors and virtual viewers alike, the process will be documented on the Körner’s Folly website, social media, and newsletter, to continue to raise awareness of the Foundation’s historic preservation efforts.
Körner’s Folly will remain open while the Summer Kitchen undergoes restoration. Visitors will have a unique opportunity to see historic preservation in action. Visitors are encouraged to ask staff about the restoration process while on tour. Körner’s Folly is open for self-guided tours Tuesdays-Saturdays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The last tickets are sold at 3 p.m. to allow visitors adequate time to explore and enjoy the historic house museum. Buy tickets here. Learn more about our restoration efforts here.

CLOSED for Tours April 13-16

Important Announcement: This April, Körner’s Folly will be closed to the public due to restoration work on April 13 – 16. Tickets are available to tour on Saturday, April 17.

This work is part of our restoration campaign to restore the Children’s Playrooms, Foyer, and Library. Work began in February and is expected to take approximately 4 months to complete. During this closure, the rooms will be painted their original color schemes.

Restoration Begins for Children’s Playrooms, Foyer, and Library

In 2021, the Körner’s Folly Foundation is turning its efforts to three major restoration projects: the Children’s Playrooms, the Foyer, and the Library. This work will include replacing the failing plaster ceilings, removing modern ductwork, repairing the floors, refinishing the original furniture, and restoring the paint and historic wallpaper color schemes.

These rooms undergoing restoration in 2021 are particularly exciting because this will be the Foundation’s first foray into historic wallpapers. Dale Pennington, Executive Director, says of the projects: “We know that Jule Körner used wallpaper in various rooms throughout Körner’s Folly. It will be exciting to showcase the intricate styles, patterns, and color schemes that were popular in the Victorian Era. I think the vibrancy of the colors will really surprise people!”

Work began in early February and is expected to take four months. Tours will continue to take place while restoration is being completed, though parts of the house will be periodically closed.

A Video Message from Executive Director Dale Pennington

During this time of uncertainty and disruption, Körner’s Folly is committed to remaining connected to our community. While our doors remain closed, work at the Folly has continued. Not only do we have a new Online Resource Catalog, with educational and entertaining content for all ages, we are undergoing significant restoration in the Master Bedroom, Breakfast Room, and North Stairway. Check out our Operation Restoration page for a closer look.

We appreciate those who have recently reached out to ask how they can help us continue to fulfill our mission during this challenging time. Donations in any amount make a huge impact in stabilizing our operations, meeting the critical needs of the property, and providing opportunities for visitors to engage virtually.

Giving is easy, quick, and will mean so much – click for secure donation link.

Stay well, and we look forward to seeing you at the Folly as soon as it is safe to do so!

Dale Pennington
Executive Director, Körner’s Folly Foundation

The New Year Brings New Projects to Körner’s Folly

Historic Körner’s Folly is pleased to announce that in addition to continuing the Master Bedroom and North Entry & Staircase restoration projects, work will also begin on the Breakfast Room in early 2020. The restoration in these rooms will include removing modern elements added over time, replicating and repairing missing or damaged woodwork and tile, refinishing and cleaning the architectural surfaces, and returning the rooms to their original color schemes. The interior restoration work focuses on restoring and preserving Jule Körner’s original interior décor for the education and enjoyment of the public.

The Breakfast Room, before restoration

After he closed the carriageway closed in 1886, Jule added the Breakfast Room, which became his wife, Polly Alice’s, favorite room. The glass skylights are said to be among the first in North Carolina, and the ample sunlight from the windows allowed Polly Alice to fill the room with plants.

The Breakfast Room, circa 1906

While not initially a part of the 2020 restoration plan, due to extreme leaks from the skylight, the Breakfast Room moved up the restoration priority list. Körner’s Folly will begin work on January 15^th, which will include reinforcement of the skylights, repairs to the cracked plaster walls, and recreating the original paint color. While it’s hard to imagine with its current white walls, the Breakfast Room was originally painted a dark olive color, specifically selected to match the floor tiles. The return to olive green walls will be a dramatic change!

Furthermore, work will continue on both the Master Bedroom and North Staircase. The structural work, which included carpentry and plaster work, began before the holiday season. Now, the dramatic interior changes will commence, by recreating historically appropriate paint schemes; removing and relocating modern elements; refinishing and cleaning the floors; and reproducing new drapes, curtains, and bedcoverings. Jule and Polly Alice Körner’s Master Bedroom is getting a whole new makeover, being returned to its blush pink and pale gold color scheme.

The North Staircase, before restoration

Just off the first floor Master Bedroom is the North Entrance and stairway. Rising four floors, or over 40 feet, this is an ambitious project. This main staircase is where the Körner’s greeted guests from 1880-1920, and where guests enter Körner’s Folly for programs and special events today; so it has seen a lot of wear and tear over the years. The walls and ceilings of the North Entry and Staircase will be restored to a robin’s egg blue and off-white color scheme with intricate plaster barley twist running up the entire height of the staircase.

Don’t fear – the Folly will remain OPEN while these rooms undergo restoration. Visitors will have a unique opportunity to see historic preservation in action, so be sure to ask staff about the restoration process while on tour. Tour routes may be altered slightly to accommodate the work, and at times, 1-2 rooms may periodically close, call ahead for information on closings (336) 996-7922.

Körner’s Folly is open for self-guided tours Wednesdays-Saturdays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and on Sundays 1 – 4 p.m. The last tickets are sold at 3 p.m. to allow visitors adequate time to explore and enjoy the museum. Private guided group tours are available by appointment.

Interior Restoration Continues!

New Year Brings New Restoration Projects to Körner’s Folly

Historic Körner’s Folly is pleased to announce the continuation of Operation Restoration, a long term project with the goal of restoring and preserving the Victorian house museum. Körner’s Folly will be kicking off 2018 with the restoration of three rooms – the Cellar, Smoking Lounge, and Den. Work began in early January and is expected to take three months. Tours will continue while restoration is being completed.

From 2012-2015, the first major restorative work took place at Historic Körner’s Folly, completely stabilizing the exterior structure of the 1880s Victorian House. The foundation was repaired, the porches were restored, and the entire roof was replaced. Now that the home is water-tight and structurally stable, interior restoration work is underway. This new chapter of interior restoration work focuses on restoring and preserving Jule Körner’s original interior décor for the education and enjoyment of the public. These three rooms are facing the greatest deterioration from decades of water damage, and pose real concerns.

Of the project, Dale Pennington, Körner’s Folly Executive Director says, “The Smoker, Den, and Cellar are three of the most badly deteriorated rooms inside of Körner’s Folly. It takes great forethought by donors to support the rooms in most need of restoration. All of the rooms in the house have been given a ranking based on deterioration, safety concerns, and historical significance. These three rooms hit all three of those markers and are our highest priority for restoration, so it’s especially exciting to see these work begin.” Once complete, these rooms will make push Korner’s Folly several steps closer to being fully restored, leaving 10 remaining rooms in need of donations for restoration.

Men’s Smoking Lounge, before restoration

The Smoker, also called the Men’s Smoking Lounge, and the adjacent Cellar will be returned to their 1890s appearance and color scheme. The Sewing Room, which is being renamed “The Den” based on new documentary evidence will be returned to its 1906 appearance. “Since Jule Körner was constantly changing and renovating Körner’s Folly, it is important to us to represent a variety of time periods throughout the house through the restoration process. As an interior designer, Jule was always experimenting with new colors, wall papers, tiles, and finishes, and we want Körner’s Folly to be reflective of that, so visitors can better understand how the house changed over time.” There were two major periods of renovations for Körner’s Folly that are well documented: in the early 1890s, after Jule married his wife and they started having children, they renovated the home to accommodate the growing family, and again from 1903-1908, when Jule reportedly spent $17,000 to renovate the house (over $400,000 in today’s dollars) after his children left home for school.

Restoration is the process of depicting the form, features, and character of a property at a particular period of time. All three rooms sit on the original concrete slab foundation, which caused significant water and moisture issues over the years. The water issues have been remediated, and now the interior plaster and carpentry can be repaired and replicated without further threat of damage. The restoration in these rooms will include removing modern elements added over time, replicating and repairing missing or damaged woodwork and tile, refinishing and cleaning the architectural surfaces, and returning the rooms to their original color schemes.

Sewing Room, to be renamed the Den, before restoration

The home will remain open for tours throughout the restoration. It is a very unique time to see Historic Restoration in action, so be sure to ask staff about the restoration process while on tour. Tour routes may be altered slightly to accommodate the work, and at times, 1-2 rooms may periodically close, call ahead for information on closings (336) 996-7922.

Interior Restoration continues at Körner’s Folly

Historic Körner’s Folly, 413 South Main Street, is pleased to announce the continuation of Operation Restoration, a long term project with the goal of restoring and preserving the Victorian house museum.

Jule Körner died in 1924, and his wife died in 1934. After that, Körner’s Folly was never again lived in as a full-time family home. Over the decades, time, age, and weather have all taken their toll on Körner’s Folly. Despite multiple re-purposes, by the 1960s, the house sat unused and vulnerable to vandalism. Fortunately, in the 1970s, a group of 26 local families, including Körner descendants purchased the house. Their goal was to restore and preserve Körner’s Folly for the education and enjoyment of the public. They eventually created the Körner’s Folly Foundation, a nonprofit organization, and had the house listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Over 40 years later – from 2012-2015 – the first major restorative work took place, to completely stabilize the exterior structure of Körner’s Folly. The house’s foundation was repaired, the porches were restored, and the entire roof was replaced. Now that the home is water-tight and structurally stable, interior restoration work is underway. This summer, restoration work began into the home’s main kitchen.

Restoration is the process of depicting the form, features, and character of a property at a particular period of time. Throughout the restoration process at Körner’s Folly, the Foundation focuses on the house’s 1897-1905 appearance, when the home was at the height of family activity. The goal is to move through the house, restoring one room at a time, so the house is never closed for tours. New rooms are being restored each year, three were completed in 2015. It is a remarkable time to see historic restoration in action.

One of the most challenging aspects of restoring the 135 year-old house is to maintain the home’s historic charm, character, and “lived-in” feel. Although restoration work brings in new materials and revitalizes each room, it is important that Körner’s Folly remains historic in appearance, and is not overly restored to look brand new. For example, during the kitchen restoration, extra care was taken to save the original tile floors and hardware, rather than replace them with a modern equivalent.

The first step in the restoration process is to research the history of the room, including the original paint color schemes. To determine the original paint colors of the kitchen, David Black, AIA/APT of HagerSmith Design of Raleigh, North Carolina, took multiple paint samples of the kitchen. Samples were removed from the wood trim, doors, window sash, wall plaster, and built-in cabinets using a scalpel. Each sample was evaluated with a microscope to identify its original color.

With the historic color analysis complete, work began to repair unstable infrastructure, remove modern elements added to the house over time, replicate and repair missing or damaged plaster details and woodwork, and refinish, clean, and paint architectural surfaces. However, this project really came to in the final phase – when painters were able to successfully restore the kitchen to Jule’s original color scheme. The plaster walls and the furniture have been returned to a dark red color; the wood window and door trim, window sash, ceiling, baseboards, fireplace trim, and cabinet doors are dark brown – a distinctly Victorian look. The dark trim and vibrant color scheme will offer visitors a stark contrast to the previously white walls and trim in the kitchen.

As we peel back the layers of paint, read through family letters, and look back at old photographs, we begin to gain a better understanding of not only the house itself, but also the people who lived, breathed, and slept here. Even more of Jule’s eccentric personality becomes clear when we uncover the original color schemes. The floor tiles match the original wall colors, giving visitors a better sense of Jule’s original vision. We learn about the family’s likes, their interests, their joys, and their fears. Eventually, as all the pieces begin to come together, we gain a glimmer of what it might have been like to live here.

Restoration of the Kitchen is made possible by Wolfe & Associates in Honor of Mary Cook for her more than twenty years of service to the Law Firm and her many years as Board Member and Secretary of the Körner’s Folly Foundation. Stay tuned for more information about this exciting restoration project!

Main Kitchen before restoration. Note the white walls and furniture.

Inaugural interior restoration: The Rose Room

Historic Körner’s Folly has undergone major exterior restorative work over the last 2 years. And now, the work is moving inside. The Rose Room, Jule Körner’s daughter Doré’s bedroom, is the first to undergo serious interior restoration work. The Körner’s Folly Foundation hopes to bring the room back to its 1905 condition, when Jule renovated the room for Doré’s sixteenth birthday.

The restoration process will involve a variety of components. In order to understand the color and material of the walls when Doré used the room, a paint analysis has been done of the current plaster. This step will allow us to know the exact colors of the room when it was occupied by Doré, giving us an appropriate color palette for other objects and patterns in the room.

Like the rest of the building, the Rose Room contains many original decorative features. Plaster moldings will be recast and wood details will be duplicated to mimic Jule’s original design. The pine floors, painted grey over the years, will be sanded down to their original wood finish. The Körner’s Folly Foundation Director, Dale Pennington, feels the efforts will provide new insight into Jule Körner’s dynamic personality as well as provide a better understanding of local life in Victorian America. She remarks, “The restoration process feels a bit like being a history detective. As we start to peel back the layers of paint, read through family letters, and look back at old photographs, we begin to gain a better understanding of not only the room itself, but also the people who lived, breathed, and slept there.”

Fortunately for the Körner’s Folly Foundation, the Rose Room is an excellent room to learn from. Relatively well preserved, our work during this restoration stage will provide us with the insight and knowledge to move forward with larger and substantially more deteriorated rooms. The Foundation hopes the challenge of restoring the Rose Room will also build connections in the community, helping us develop a network of conservators in the area.

The restoration process is not only a venture for the Körner’s Folly Foundation, but is very close to the hearts of the remaining Körner descendents. With many Körner relatives active in Kernersville, they are excited to see their mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and even great-great-grandmother’s room restored for the public. The restoration project, funded by Wolfe & Associates, is in honor of Doré Körner’s daughter, Polly Körner Donnell Wolfe.

The Körner’s Folly Foundation is accomplishing these goals within the framework of its mission, to preserve and restore Körner’s Folly for the education and enjoyment of the public. A beloved landmark within the Kernersville community, the Folly has become a destination for many families within North Carolina, as well as throughout the nation and abroad. The Folly’s ability to educate the public about life in Victorian America and Jule’s incredible design vision have compelled many to support our efforts to restore Jule’s home and business.

Körner’s Folly is the architectural wonder and home of artist and designer Jule Gilmer Körner. Built in 1880 in Kernersville, North Carolina, the house originally served to display his interior design portfolio. The house is comprised of twenty-two rooms, separated into three floors on seven levels, with ceilings ranging in height from five and a half feet to over twenty-five feet tall. In every room, Jule designed unique doorways, windows, and fireplaces, hoping to attract clients who visited his home.

Color History of the Rose Room, Korner’s Folly

Roof Restoration Begins: See historic preservation in action!

While construction is taking place, Körner’s Folly will remain open for tours during regular hours (Thursdays – Sundays). Visit us this summer to learn more about our future restoration plans and current roof restoration projects.

The Körner’s Folly Foundation has begun the final phase of exterior restoration, which involves replacing Körner’s Folly’s red tin roof with shingles. This milestone marks the largest restoration project in the history of Körner’s Folly. The red tin was installed in the mid-1950s to replace the home’s original chestnut shingle roof, and now the Foundation has raised enough money through Operation Restoration to replace the tin with eco-friendly and historically appropriate synthetic chestnut shingles.

The Foundation launched Operation Restoration in 2012 as a campaign to fund exterior restoration, which is the first step in bringing back the house’s original Victorian splendor. Water damage from a leaking roof and cracks from a shifting foundation have prevented any large-scale restoration projects. With a new roof and stable foundation, moving forward really means moving Körner’s Folly backward to its 1880s magnificence.

Bringing Körner’s Folly back, however, is expensive and fundraising was an enormous undertaking. The financial goal for Operation Restoration was $500,000, and generous community supporters exceeded this through their contributions.

“The restoration project wouldn’t be possible without support from the community,” Executive Director Dale Pennington said. “The Foundation’s mission is to keep Körner’s Folly open for the education and enjoyment of the public, and restoration is essential in making this possible.”

Looking forward, the Foundation plans to begin interior restoration in late summer. With a new water-tight roof, the Foundation will begin restoring the 22 rooms inside Körner’s Folly. The Rose Room is already empty with drop cloths on the floor, awaiting completion of roof restoration this summer.

While construction is taking place, Körner’s Folly will remain open for tours during regular hours. Visit us this summer to learn more about our future restoration plans and current roof restoration projects.