FOR AS LONG as they can remember, Mattie Tomb and her daughter Katie Longman have enjoyed walking around the Village of Zionsville—a charming enclave of nearly 300 historic homes that forms the original core of downtown. They would point to houses and say, “I’ll choose that one, and you can live next door.” Eventually, Longman and her husband, Rudy, purchased a home in town. Little did they know that fate had plans for Tomb to follow suit.
In 2020, Tomb lost her home of nearly 30 years in a devastating fire. Through the heartache, she salvaged what little she could and forged ahead. As she began to search for a new home, her wish list was straightforward—she wanted an old house in the village. While her former home sat on several acres just outside downtown Zionsville, she was ready for a change, looking to join the front porch community with its vibrant shops and restaurants within walking distance.
Tomb lived with the Longmans during her real estate search. The experience provided a taste of life in the village and confirmed her feelings that she would be happy there. Even with a simple list of requirements, the search was long. “Nothing spoke to me,” Tomb says.
Everything changed when her Realtor mentioned a property that wasn’t on the market but already had multiple offers—including one from a buyer who wanted to tear it down. The structure was so buried by overgrown weeds and weathered by Mother Nature that it was easy to miss when walking past. A rusted sign in front proclaimed its identity as the Christian Union Church, erected in 1867 or 1870, as reported by different sources. Its time as a church was short-lived but included a dark period when it served as a house of worship for Southern Confederate sympathizers, according to historian Allie Seibert, who wrote a book on the church’s storied past. It was also an auditorium, temporary schoolhouse, and printing office over the years, additionally becoming home to Boone Post No. 202 of the Grand Army of the Republic (1898 to 1926) and Francis Neidlinger Post No. 79 of the American Legion from 1920 into the 1970s.
Serendipitously located a few doors from Longman’s house, it was easy for Tomb to pop over and tour the site with her Realtor. She asked a trusted contractor from Cedar Street Builders to join them. While the main portion of the building was one big, congregational space, untapped potential waited overhead. Tomb recalls that Cedar Street owner Dan Porzel climbed up a ladder to investigate a small crawlspace and discovered a pleasant surprise. “We can fit a lot up here,” he called down. Tomb made an offer the same day.
After a slow process of acquiring the necessary permits, renovation began in September 2021. Cedar Street’s project coordinator Anne Rendaci says, “The existing church structure was a large, open space with a small addition on the back that housed a kitchen and bathroom. … In order to transform it from an uninhabitable yet sturdy shell, we hired an architect to design a plan that would both honor the history and original structure, as well as provide our client with the beautiful living space she desired.”
That architect was Melissa Iannucci of Trade Design Studio. “When I talked with Melissa, I said, ‘Well, I want a little foyer, a front hall closet, study, bedroom with en suite on the main floor, laundry room on the main floor, and second laundry room upstairs,’” Tomb recalls.
The tricky conversion was welcomed with open arms. “The challenge of transforming a voluminous church into a cozy, intimate home was really fun because that’s the opposite of how a church usually feels and was true of this one as well,” Iannucci says. “We created two stories inside the building. The first floor features 12-foot ceilings, but the spaces aren’t large, which gives it the feel of a typical house in the Village of Zionsville. On the second floor, we used space from the attic to create sloping ceilings in the bedrooms and bathrooms.”
What was essentially a big, drafty box—there wasn’t a lick of insulation—transformed into a 4,300-square-foot, five-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom triumph.
Paramount significance was placed on preservation and historic authenticity when possible. “There wasn’t a whole lot to save, but I think what we did save was perfect,” Tomb says. That includes the original front door and the wavy glass windows. A local historic restoration contractor handled this delicate but rewarding work. As any old house lover can attest, there’s something enchanting about the way sunlight dances across the ripples of a wavy glass window.
Some of the less glamorous but equally critical work led to unexpected rewards, like increased square footage and reclaimed materials. “We made the decision to reinforce the structure by supporting the perimeter and digging a basement below that would both serve as added living space and provide a stable foundation for the historic structure to endure another century or more,” Rendaci explains. To achieve this, Cedar Street worked with a specialized “house-lifting” contractor.
During this process, old-growth timber from the original floor joists, beams, and rafters was salvaged. The wood was later turned into shelving, a fireplace surround, interior beams, and two dining room tables—one for the home and one for the carriage house.
Accents like these infuse the elegant, sunshine-filled spaces with just the right amount of earthy, timeworn texture. In the kitchen, a brick wall was preserved but improved. Instead of a standard square doorway, the opening in the wall leading into the new addition was arched.
The reddish-brown hues of the brick play beautifully with the kitchen’s color palette. The cabinet color came straight from the iconic Devol Kitchens showroom in London. On a work trip, Longman visited the showroom to ask for a paint sample, fully expecting the typical card stock square. “Devol makes their own paint, but due to paint laws, they don’t ship it. So, they bring out this carved, wooden piece. When I got back, Dan and Anne lovingly divided it into pieces,” Longman recalls. “It was so helpful to have that exact paint match. It went to the cabinetry, to the drapery, to Mom.” Kline Cabinetmakers near Greenfield matched Devol’s Mushroom hue from the swatch for the kitchen cabinets.
Although she didn’t hire an interior designer and all the selections were her own, Tomb was never overwhelmed by the multitude of choices. It was helpful, however, “to get input from trusted people,” she says.
Nearly everything in the home is connected, like the custom design for the staircase newel post. The design, which reappears on the kitchen island legs, was inspired by a plant holder in her sunroom that came from a newel post in France, where Tomb lived when Longman was born. Some of the art also comes from that era.
Tomb drew inspiration from her East Coast childhood home built in the 1600s. It was filled with all sorts of little rooms, and her mother took immense pride in its appearance and upkeep. “My mom changed curtains and pillows every season. She ironed constantly, took care of everything they had, and people thought it was like a little dollhouse,” she recollects. A large painting of wisteria in the dining room serves as a subtle, nostalgic connection to the flowering vines her father grew in Chatham, New Jersey.
Tomb also found herself embracing a new color palette. “I’ve never had blue, specifically, so there’s a lot of blue and green,” she says. The symbolism of the hues, which represent growth, renewal, and serenity, aligns with her journey of transforming the church into a home.
All the bedrooms feature wainscoting, abundant natural light, and tastefully vibrant window treatments. “There’s a lot of detail without being in your face,” Tomb says.
Some of her bigger design choices were made with family and friends in mind. The basement is built for hosting and recreation for Longman and her husband and includes a playroom for future grandchildren.
But the most wow-worthy feature of the basement is hidden in plain sight. A secret door nestled within the green bookshelves leads to an astounding wine cellar. With brick walls and flooring, handsome wood cabinets and soapstone countertops, the vibe leans vintage speakeasy. Longman recalls, “The original plan was a standard door with storage behind it. I had to do a little begging with Mama, because she didn’t want to give up any of her storage room.” Looking around the room, Tomb admits, “It’s kind of perfect.”
After living in the church for nearly two years, Tomb still finds herself walking around with a smile on her face. “It’s a very happy place,” she says. While Longman loves having her mother as a neighbor, there’s an overwhelming sense of admiration. “I’m so proud of my mom for doing this. It gives my soul rest, knowing she’s in a place she’s dreamed of for so long.”
