A backyard chicken coop was the first thing to go; Elaine and Steve Clement replaced it with an in-ground swimming pool for the kids. That change set the tone for more than two decades of extensive renovations that transformed an old two-story brick house into an elegant family home with an English-style interior.

Elaine wanted the brown Colonial Revival brick as soon as she saw it. "I just knew; I liked the way it sat on a huge lot. I loved the layout of the house." She said a contractor built it for himself in 1928 on an acre in the heart of Belleville. "It's just such a well-built house; it was intact and original." Features include a classic center hall, a tiled sunporch and French doors throughout. First floor ceilings are 9 feet high and accented with 11-piece wood moldings.

Over the years it was home to several prominent Belleville residents. Records show that Adam Karr lived there in 1931. He was head of Karr Range, Karr Plumbing Supply, president of the Commercial Club and active in the Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce. After Karr, Dr. Sam McKelvey moved in; Elaine says that he saw his patients in what is now the Clements' living room.

The couple have rehabbed the home inside and out. They rescued the brick from an overgrowth of ivy and landscaped a casual backyard for extensive entertaining. In addition to the pool and a cabana, guests can enjoy Steve's garden railroad, a newly rebuilt deck, patios, a gazebo, a basketball court and a playground. Inside they made the home more energy-efficient and family-friendly, decorating it to suit their taste. For instance, in the kitchen area they removed a wall to make a dining space, turned two single windows into a handsome bay for more light and backyard views and added a powder room. Upstairs they converted a sun porch into the master bath. Surprises along the way included finding a pair of charming arch-topped windows when they removed built-in bookcases from either side of the living room fireplace.

The Clements worked with a local interior designer, choosing Ethan Allen oak furniture in the Canterbury collection for a traditional English look throughout. The classic three-bedroom, four-bath home has a full finished basement and has been featured on a home and garden tour.