The home dates back to 1926, and was one of the featured stops on a 2011 Holiday Tour of Historic Homes. When Matt and Larissa got the deed, the old house was in need of some serious remodeling love.

"The whole house had to be rewired and replumbed before we could even move in," Matt says. The couple knew about those issues, but had no idea how many years it would take to fully restore the house.

"In 2001, the Nisqually earthquake hit and did some major damage. We had to replace the chimney and sewer line," Larissa says. "That work delayed cosmetic changes, which turned out to be a good thing because it gave us time to really learn the house and develop our own sense of style."

It all started with this three-car garage, converted from a carport.

"We loved Olympia's historic bungalows. On countless walks through neighborhoods we'd admire the structures but lament the lack of garage space," Larissa says. "We toured the house that afternoon, put in an offer, and by August it was ours. Immediately, we had the carport converted into a garage. We followed styling cues from the house and installed arched doors."

The arched theme continues throughout the home. Wide passageways create a sense of space and flow between the rooms. The built-ins are original to the house, but were refinished by Matt and Larissa. The hardwood floors are interrupted only here and there by large wool rugs. The staircase was also restored to its former glory with plenty of sandpaper and elbow grease.

Chairs: McKinnon Furniture, Seattle

The living room was the last space to get finished. "It sat empty for quite a while," Matt says. "People passing by would often leave notes or phone messages asking if the house was for sale or rent. Then it served as a warehouse to hold items while other parts of the house were being worked on."

The arched front window feels like it never ends. It took three separate attempts to get a new piece of glass correctly in place, and some of the original framing had to be rebuilt because of its age.

"We vividly remember entering the house for the first time ... the expansive windows and light-filled interiors sold us," Matt says.

Sofa: McKinnon Furniture, Seattle
Pillow: Drees, Olympia, Wash.
TV and Stereo Cabinet: Restoration Hardware
Carpet: surged by Hammond Knoll, Tacoma, Wash.

A reading nook offers a view of the large backyard and the three-car garage that started it all. The bookshelves were designed by Matt and Larissa and built by Beech Tree Building Company in Olympia.

When it came time to reinvent the fireplace, Matt and Larissa once again called on Beech Tree Building Company. The original mantel was just a small, unattractive shelf — completely out of proportion to the fireplace. Rather than tear it down, they opted to build over it. Matt explains, "I thought it would be nice to leave it intact, in case someone else in the future wants to restore it completely back to its original state."

The new mantel is extra thick to accommodate the old one hidden within. Matt left time-capsule-like notes in various places before they were covered over — "Who we were, what years we did certain things to the house," Larissa says. "But he also wrote a few funny ones. Things like, 'Shame on you for tearing down all of my hard work, do you know how long that took me?' "

Mantel: Beech Tree Building Company
Photograph: "Fan Light Over Green Point" by Christopher Petrich

In the kitchen, they considered tearing down the wall with the ironing board cabinet to make it more roomy, but decided instead to maintain the integrity of the original house plan. "We consider ourselves temporary stewards of this home," Larissa says, "and though our work on it is extensive, we always aim to respect the bones of the house."

Beech Tree Building Company sources sustainable materials and helped them realize their vision to maximize the space. One solution is a large pullout cutting board, and the ironing board's former home has been converted into a shallow pantry.

Matt and Larissa designed the pattern for the leaded glass cabinet doors, clipping ideas from design magazines while adding their own twists. There were several thickly painted metal vents around the home. It took hours of hard work and scrubbing to reveal the gleaming surface now seen above the flooring.

Cabinetry: Beech Tree Building Company, Olympia, Wash.

This dining nook is just off the kitchen. The walnut table was custom-made by Beech Tree Building Company from Matt's design. Two stylish leather chairs add a retro-modern edge.

Table: Beech Tree Building Company
Chairs: Bellini
Light Fixture: Restoration Hardware

The kitchen and dining room have original oak hardwood floors that had been hidden for years under carpeting. Matt and Larissa's restorative tinkering started quietly with a few rooms upstairs, but when they saw the results they knew they would have to tackle the whole house.

"We set the bar high," Matt says. "We didn't know what we were getting into. We started to scrape off all of these layers of paint, and we were amazed at all of the detail that had been buried."

From 2000 until 2008, the couple spent nearly every weekend stripping paint and working their way slowly through the house. It was a full-scale operation involving charcoal masks to reduce the risks from old lead-based paints. The two hardcore renovators tackled everything themselves — doors, window frames, baseboards, vents — and only called for assistance when it came time to power-sand the floors with industrial equipment.

Artwork: "Garden" by Mike Major

The master bedroom feels like a secluded bed-and-breakfast inn. The steep slopes of the ceiling make the space unique and cozy.

Artwork: Melissa Springer
Furniture: McKinnon Furniture, Seattle

Original crystal doorknobs are found throughout the house. Some of them were cracked or missing, but Matt and Larissa would only settle for nearly exact matches. They happened upon a few of them at ReStore in downtown Seattle.

"There are subtle differences in the weight of them, the way they are cut. You really have to hold one in your hand and look it over to see if it will work," Matt says. "We didn't want facsimiles — we wanted the real thing."

The ReStore replacements are from the same era, and are impossible to distinguish from the doorknobs that came with the house. It is this meticulous attention to detail that makes the home so charming.

Replacement doorknobs: The ReStore, Seattle

When talking about their home being featured in a historic tour, Matt says their home is known as the "Carlyon-Rydman House" — an amalgamation of the first and second owners' last names. He says, "Rydman lived here from 1944 to 1987. Then there were three owners before us."

When asked if they have any intention of ever selling the place, Matt says, "No way. Rydman was here for 43 years. My goal is to beat Rydman's record."

Maybe someday in the year 2112, a new homeowner will uncover a cryptic, comical note buried within a wall. After that, it might be known as "The Ruhl House."

Artwork: "Garden" by Mike Major

More Houzz tours:
See a Traditional Home for Modern Life
A Modern Renovation in Seattle
Between Sea and Sky on Raft Island