The home on Starbuck Court was once one of the most iconic signs of Nantucket’s whaling industry—a 75-foot-long candle factory. Today, it’s one of only a few former candle factories left standing on the island. So when the homeowners decided to restore the building, they opted against gutting the interior, choosing not to let its history go up in smoke.

The house on Starbuck Court is one of the last remaining former candle factories on the island. After purchasing the property in 2020, the homeowners enlisted the architecture and design firm, Hendricks Churchill, to guide the restoration and bring the historic property in line with the needs of a modern family. More living space was added. A cottage was designed to serve as a primary suite and living space, drawing inspiration from the historic candle factory while incorporating contemporary design elements. Island builder Todd Burns was brought on board for what turned into a major project: lifting the historic candle factory, laying a new foundation, restoring the building and constructing another structure to complete the property. “We had been doing so many contemporary houses, and it’s nice to link up with homeowners who wanted to respect the history of their home,” Burns said. “When you work in the confines of the historic nature of the building it can be challenging but it’s really rewarding.”

The candle factory, which was built by Joseph and Simeon Starbuck in 1807, now includes a modern kitchen and living space equipped with an updated HVAC system. The finished house also retains its historic elements, such as vaulted ceilings and open stud walls. The original property also included a “wagon shed” dating back to the 19th century. The architect and homeowners worked together to redesign this space into a family gathering place, perfect for watching movies and playing board games.

The historic charm of the raw wood and open stud construction was retained, with some new amenities that bring it into the 21st century. The restoration earned the Nantucket Preservation Trust’s 2023 Michelle Elzay Architectural Preservation Award. “This is one of the greatest examples of historic preservation on Nantucket in recent memory, a fabulous success story of modernizing a historic building while still preserving the interior character defining features,” Nantucket Preservation Trust Executive Director Mary Bergman said. “The interior design aesthetic exists on the continuum of Nantucket history, and when I am in the candle house, I feel as though I have been transported to the island’s bohemian heyday.”