House of the week: A five-bedroom Colonial in Germantown for $850,000

For years, Stewart Traill had lived a half-block away from the rambling, six-bedroom, four-bath house in Germantown, built in 1851 by a Quaker couple.

The house was “a shell,” said Traill, who restores historic homes for a living. Clearly designed for a large family — the original owners had seven children — it had been unoccupied for years.

But when the For Sale sign popped up in 2010, temptation quickly overcame practicality.

“We had to come up with excuses,” for the size, said Traill, realizing that he, his wife — the artist and sculptor Jenny Richter — and their infant son could easily be rattling around the house’s 7,424 square feet.

“We managed to fill the space,” he said, “but it took a while. We redid every inch of the interior.”

In some cases, it meant buying furniture from the previous occupants. In others, it meant finding creative ways to display Richter’s art.

But now, Richter and the couple’s two children have relocated to Massachusetts and Traill, who still has business interests in the Philadelphia area, commutes between there and the city.

Since the home’s original construction, a wrap-around porch was added in the early 1900s, among other changes.

There are numerous signs of earlier eras, including remnants of an inside outhouse for garden workers and glazed brick on two walls and the chimney.

Piping for the old heating system remains in the basement, but Traill installed a zoned system with natural gas for 21st century practicality.

A long dining room table is now the centerpiece of Traill’s office. There are five bedrooms on the second floor and one in the attic.

There is ample parking on the premises and storage space in the basement.

The house is in the midst of a neighborhood of cobblestone streets, boutiques, cafes, and family owned businesses.

It is listed by Suzie Swisher of Coldwell Banker Realty for $850,000.