Couple wanted home to reflect their tastes

Living in a historic house could be intimidating, but Mike Bickley and Vanessa Santos have found a way to make their 150-year-old home in Waynesboro, Ga., inviting.

As the second owners of the Waverly House, which had been in the Byne family for more than a century, the couple has restored or kept most of the unique architecture, while updating with modern appliances.

The result of their labor is a home that is cozy but embraces its history. Crown molding, original wallpaper and uncovered hardwood floors are major accents in the house, which, along with the accompanying gardens, is open to the public for weddings, receptions and luncheons.

After purchasing the home in 1999, Ms. Santos said, the couple learned quickly how beloved the house was to Waynesboro residents.

"People come through who said they remember coming here as children," she said.

Mr. Bickley said response to the home's public use was encouraging.

"When we came and opened the house up, people were pretty excited about it," he said. "They really enjoyed the chance to see it from the inside, since it had been closed for so long."

Reach Kamille Bostick at (706) 823-3223 or kamille.bostick@ augustachronicle.com.

AT HOME WITH

The Family: Vanessa Santos and Mike Bickley

The House: Waverly House, a 150-year-old home with walled garden, four bedrooms and seven fireplaces. It was named Waverly House after the plantation home owned by the ancestors of the Byne family, the previous owners.

It's a fact: When air conditioning was added about 50 years ago, a worker cut through a supporting beam and caused parts of the house to shift, creating a large crack in a wall.

IN PICTURES

Annette M. Drowlette/Staff

The Bickley home in Waynesboro, Ga., had been in the Byne family for a century before Mr. Bickley and Ms. Santos purchased the house. Elegant antique furnishings fill the home and give it a lived-in look.

Annette M. Drowlette/Staff

There are 75 doors and drawers in pecan in the kitchen, at left, which also features granite counter tops, recessed lighting and subway-style tiles for the back splash. A side-by-side Subzero freezer and refrigerator have a pecan veneer. Mr. Bickley laid the laminate floor to cover the uneven surfaces. The home, like most old homes, "doesn't have a straight line in it," Ms. Santos said.

Annette M. Drowlette/Staff

Making renovations to a historic house requires design savvy. To preserve the integrity of the house, a small half-bathroom was hidden beneath the stairs.

Annette M. Drowlette/Staff

Ornate molding around the living room entrance is typical of the architectural details found in the home. Ms. Santos said a major selling point for her was the detail and beauty of the crown molding along the ceilings, fireplaces and doors.

Annette M. Drowlette/Staff

An elaborately detailed mirror, a replica of one in an Augusta home, adorns the mantel in the front room. The home has numerous accent mirrors.

Annette M. Drowlette/Staff

Mike Bickley and his wife, Vanessa Santos, worked hard to renovate their 150-year-old house.