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The Porchfest House Profile Project was created by University of Georgia students as part of Lori Johnston's House and Garden Writing Journalism Seminar and Katie Marages' Vernacular Architecture Course. The students interviewed homeowners, researched the homes and neighborhoods, and took photos and videos of the homes. The featured residencies will host bands on October 20th during the Historic Athens Porchfest.

Charming, beautiful, cozy and historic are the four words Ashley Carney uses to describe the blue-hued Victorian home where she lives with her children and husband Briggs.

Details like original coal fireplaces, hand-painted tiles, and crooked period trim keep the home connected to its history at its heart boulevardAthens's 19th century tram suburb.

The house was Built in 1915. It previously consisted of three different apartments — one upstairs unit and two downstairs units — but other than tearing down the walls to open up the interior, Ashley said no part of the floor plan has changed from its original form.

Two of the features that set the house apart are its high ceilings and windows, which Ashley says create the illusion of a larger area even though the house sits within it 3,092 square meters. Large windows allow plenty of natural light throughout the dining area and renovated kitchen, creating an open and airy space that replicates the atmosphere of the remarkable wrap-around porch.

However, the porch is undoubtedly the home's main feature and lasting first impression for the community to enjoy at the Historic Athens Porchfest on Sunday, October 20th. Even the homeowners can't get enough of the porch.

“That porch is, in my opinion, the defining factor of the house. It kind of sets the tone for everything,” Ashley said. “We just live out here and have friends over, we’re always out here.”

The interior floors and trim are both original core pine, as are the doors, which are either original or custom-matched to the pine. Also, the plaster walls, heavy molding, paneling, and chair rail all remain from the 1915 version of the house.

There are several coal fireplaces throughout the house. Ashley said they removed a fair amount of it, but estimates there are eight mantels left in the house.

The fireplace in their living room is decorated with green-flecked tiles, a touch that the Carneys say was hand-painted and also remains.

Ashley said it's important that whatever they add to their home stays true to the character of the house and is comfortable for them.

“We want to capture the historic element of the house, stay true to it and bring it out,” Ashley said. “We want everything to feel like it has always been here, and 10 years from now it will still feel like it has always been here.”

While the home's floor plans reflect its history, the artwork inside offers a more personal look at the Carneys' style. About half of the artwork in their home was painted by their friends and given to the Carneys, and the other half is made up of works by local artists Andy Cherewick and a hodgepodge of diverse origins accumulated over a period of 20 years.

As for furniture and decoration, the Briggs family provided some antiques, and the rest of their collection is supplemented by additions from Athens interior design market and other local businesses. The couple used antiques from the Briggs family to decorate much of their space, keeping everything true to history. For example, her pantry is a cupboard donated by his family.

Ashley said they're excited to start work on one of the home's former residential units, which they haven't done much with yet. They plan to convert it into a library and music room, which will include a bookshelf and the family piano – Ashley's favorite piece in the house.

“My kids and I play it and I just really enjoy it,” Ashley said. “That’s another reason why I’m so excited about this space. I really want to highlight the piano.”

The city has placed a conservation easement on the property two doors down from the house, meaning no construction is permitted on it. For the Carneys, this creates a beautiful view of the trees and their large backyard – one of the largest in the neighborhood on their 1.5-acre property.

Ashley said her children “live” in the backyard as well as a small loft above the home office that houses gaming consoles, soft lighting and cozy furniture in a size perfect for children to feel at home.

The Carneys are now preparing to host a local band Klezmer Local 42 on their spacious veranda as part of Porchfest. Ashley, the former treasurer of Historic Athens, said her porch is regularly used for the Jewish band's Porchfest performances, bringing high energy and large crowds to the street.

Visitors and musicians will enjoy the atmosphere on the porch and in the garden during Porchfest and then stream out. But when the festival is over, the Carneys will enjoy their Victorian home, with its period features, functional makeovers and picturesque location, for many years to come.

Ella Kroll is studying journalism at the University of Georgia.

A look into history – and ghost stories

The Carneys' Victorian home was built in 1915; At that time, the boulevard was where Athens did some of its business first tram system. Some of the houses, including hers, have slabs in front of the houses where people could mount their horses and posts where they could tie their horses.

There is some greenery in the front yard, but the Carneys say keeping plants is difficult for several reasons. The large oak trees absorb a lot of water and provide a lot of shade, making it difficult to grow plants.

“We have to choose things that are low maintenance, shade tolerant, drought tolerant, even though we finally watered it, and I don't know what else,” Ashley said.

However, the Carneys said they couldn't plant anything on the left side of the front yard. This is the path of Reggie, her golden retriever, along the fence as he greets those walking or passing by.

While the Carneys try to stay true to the character of the house, the house itself features some characters that have frightened Briggs and Ashley and their tenants over the years.

“So we bought the house from a man who had a lot of ghost stories,” Ashley said.

One story goes that he and his wife would always show pennies tail side up around the house, which could mean bad luck. When the Carneys rented to a UGA graduate student, she told them that she kept finding pennies with the payment side visible.

“And then she said it scared her so much that she started throwing out heads-up pennies and when she got home they would be with the tails-up,” Ashley said.

Despite the scary scenarios, they still love their home.

“I hope to die in this house. I love this house,” she said. “And this is the only house our children know. You know, kids, I don't think they realize that a lot of people don't have a house like that, you know, on this street, how unique it is.”

Ashlyn Carroll is studying journalism at the University of Georgia.