As a supporter of the National Trust, which is our philanthropy, I love seeing stories of historic homes being revitalized. On the flip side, whenever I see an old home that has been replaced by a McMansion, I feel that the construction companies have literally taken architectural white out, only to replace the beautiful poetry with monotonous print.

When I saw this beautiful Bronx 16 room mansion, which is being restored by the Deans family, I was elated! If you look at the bones of the home, they are intricate, delicate, and stunning.

The detailed interior paneling and paint are still amazingly intact, and the Deans plan to convert this stunning room into their master bedroom…and who can blame them?

There is so much history in this beautiful Bronx mansion, and what is interesting is all of the personal relics left behind by its previous owners, including books, alcohol bottles, blueprints, typewriters, and even spittoons. It is vintage heaven!

For the entire story and more stunning photos, visit the New York Times’ slideshow. Thanks Di for the find!