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What started with renovating a back deck turned into a top-to-bottom remodel — from attic to basement — of the Compton Hill Reservoir Square home of Eric Ericson and Tony Bowls. Ericson, who has a historic home restoration business, originally purchased the house 30 years ago as a starter home and project to work on. Built in 1879, it is one of the oldest homes in the neighborhood, overlooking Compton Hill Reservoir Park.

At the time he purchased it, the house had undergone some basic, builder-grade renovations in the 1980s and, while perfectly livable, was nothing exceptional. “It had decent bones, but was just a drywall box,” Ericson remembers.

He continued doing periodic updates while living in the home, though was often more focused on doing work for his clients. Then, four years ago, he met partner Tony Bowls, a renowned women’s formalwear designer, online. Bowls was living and working in Miami but would come to ��ѿ��ý to see Ericson and visit local retailers he worked with. After completing some renovations to the covered backyard deck, Ericson recall Bowls asking him, “In a perfect world, what would you want do to the house?”

Bowls and Ericson committed to investing in some larger renovations — blending their styles and sensibilities — to create a new home for their new life together. Their original goals were to relocate and reconfigure a main-floor powder room from an area of the kitchen where a pantry had once been, as well as add a second-floor laundry room and another full bath. One space quickly led to another, and soon there was not one room of the home they planned to leave untouched.

Recognizing that they would not be able to remain in the house during a complete remodel, Bowls and Ericson moved out in 2022 and spent two years living in the Central West End high-rise One Hundred Above the Park while the house underwent renovations, moving back in October 2024. They hired an architect to help determine what was structurally possible and Mike Thomas of Rubix Construction to complete the work, with Ericson acting as project manager and helping with the finishes.

When it comes to décor, Bowls prefers things more modern, while Ericson leans toward antiques (his mom previously owned an antique shop on Cherokee Street), so they worked together to strike a balance.

“The main goal since Eric lived here for so long was to still have some of his style incorporated, but at the same time, I wanted little touches of what I liked as well. It was actually pretty easy. I like being creative,” Bowls says.

Ericson agrees. “I know what I like, but I don’t always know how to incorporate it. Tony’s better at seeing what we need to keep,” he says.

For both, it was important to have architectural elements that nodded to the home’s history — beautiful millwork and wainscoting, exposed brick and hardwood floors — but with a fresh, modern approach.

They opened up the kitchen and dining room and enlisted woodworker Ralph Zuke to create beautiful, custom pieces such as an inset surround for the built-in buffet and a center island base from quarter-sawn white oak that he hand-aged in a tent with ammonia to achieve just the right color tone. They combined existing and salvaged historic brick to fill in a closed-up fireplace for a seamless exposed brick wall.

In order to relocate the powder room, Bowls and Ericson had an original back staircase removed. The new powder room off of the hallway is a study in big style in a small space – featuring a stunning backlit vanity top and feature wall of quartzite stone that makes an immediate and lasting impression. The brightness of the quartzite is balanced by surrounding walls of rich wenge wood slats. It’s Bowls’ favorite room in the house.

The main staircase was widened for an easier transition to the remodeled second floor, which includes two bedrooms and two full baths. Both bedrooms include feature walls of striking wood treatments, continuing an emphasis on natural materials. In the primary bedroom, the couple had Full Circle Design replicate over 500 squares of contoured oak inspired by similar ones that Bowls had found on Etsy.

A third-floor attic that was previously just a storage space was transformed into another guest room and full bath, accessed by a newly installed staircase. Last, but not least, was the unfinished basement. They kept its original stone walls and created what Ericson refers to as “the adult playroom” — a speakeasy and man cave where many of his beloved antiques are on proud display including a vintage juke box, Coke machine (now filled with beer), slot machine and bar top cash register.

The bar/TV room leads to a small kitchenette lighted with neon beer and cigarette signs, where more of Ericson’s collectibles are on display in a salvaged antique butler’s pantry.

“If we entertain, everyone ends up down here eventually,” Bowls says.

While he enjoys spending time in the basement, watching TV and entertaining, Bowls also favors the light-filled, remodeled living room – decorated in soothing neutral tones highlighted by fresh white wainscoting crafted by Zuke. Another exposed brick wall frames original wavy glass windows.

“There’s just something about sitting there and looking out into the park,” Bowls says.

For Ericson, he’s happy to have a fresh start inside the home he’s owned for three decades. He spends much of his time in the backyard – tending to his garden and making even more improvements in the spot where it all started.