Our First “Finished” Room (Sort Of)

One room down, many more dreams to go.

Since our very first tour of Chapline House in 2021, we’ve spent countless hours dreaming about the future of this place. Some days, we even get more wrapped up in conversations, imagining than in actual renovating. We wonder: What story do we want this house to tell? While this project is, at its core, a restoration, our intention goes beyond period accuracy. We want guests to feel like the house has evolved as though Annie and Agnes, the Victorian sisters who once lived here, never left. What modern changes would they have made while still honoring the past? What layers would they have added through the decades?

With more than 18 rooms spread over three floors, it was hard to decide where to begin. But we chose to start with the largest bedroom; the one we are thinking we will call The Wilson Room. Our initial goal, however, wasn’t perfection but simply functionality. When we moved in, the room was mint green, the plaster was cracked, and the fireplace mantle painted a flat brown. It had good bones with original Victorian shutters and intact floorboards which made it one of the most approachable rooms to tackle first.

We gave the plaster a quick (and admittedly imperfect) repair job—this was before we took a class with a local expert—and painted the walls a creamy, soft white (Sherwin-Williams Timeless White). We stripped layers of paint from the corbels around the bay window and the wooden corner beads, cleaned the floors and baseboards, and added just enough furniture & decor to make the room feel clean and livable. While it’s not yet finished, it’s functional for now and that in itself felt like a small victory.

In the long run, we envision each of the three second-floor bedrooms telling its own story, brought to life through design. That idea actually started years ago, while playing a computer game Ellie and I loved as kids. The main character stayed in a Victorian-style hotel room, and we used to daydream about staying in—or even owning—a place like that ourselves (#iykyk). That little seed of an idea has since grown into our full-blown plan for a story-rich, style-forward bed and breakfast at Chapline House.

• The Traveler’s Room – Inspired by our favorite childhood game will be filled with our grandmother’s collection of Asian antiques and more. This room will reflect a well-traveled soul with a love of art, history, and objects with meaning.

• The Wilson Room – The most traditional room and currently the most “finished,” will blend antique charm with comfortable, modern luxuries named for the original owners.

• The Botanical Room – Cozy, bright, and natural, this room will be fu of wicker, greenery, florals, and ideally opening to a future conservatory.

• Bonus Attic Bedroom – A tucked-away retreat, I imagine this room color drenched in soft blue, with vintage touches and a timeless, romantic feel.

For now, everything is still in progress (and subject to changes). There’s a long list of plaster repairs ahead before we can truly dive into decorating each space. But these dreams keep us moving forward step by step, room by room. And someday, we can’t wait to share them all with the guests who will help write the next chapter of Chapline House.

Where History Meets Home

Tin Type of Russ, Cissy, Maddie and Ellie taken by Mel’s Alternative Images in Wheeling - May 2025

Welcome! We’re Madolyn, Ellery, Russell and Cissy, and we’re so excited to welcome you to Chapline House and to our story. This blog will be a place where we share the journey of how our family moved 2,000 miles across the country to chase a dream: restoring a grand old Victorian home and building a life rooted in history, adventure, and a deep sense of place.

Originally from sunny Pasadena, California, our family set off on a cross-country move that brought us to the charming city of Wheeling, West Virginia in 2021. Nestled along the Ohio River just an hour from Pittsburgh, Wheeling immediately felt like more than just a picturesque town; it felt like home.

You see, Wheeling holds family history for us. It was once a bustling center of steel, glass, and stogie manufacturing, and somewhere amid that energy and grit, past generations of the McGregor family lived, built businesses, and shaped their stories. One of which being The McGregor China Company, with a shop located on Market Street in Downtown Wheeling. There’s something powerful about returning to a place your ancestors once called home, especially when that place is steeped in Victorian charm and ready for its next chapter.

That chapter for us begins at Chapline House, an 1880s Italianate Victorian in the heart of the Chapline Row Historic District. With only two previous families having lived in it over the past 140 years, the house is brimming with character, quirks, and a whole lot of history. From its tall windows and intricate woodwork to the stories whispered by its walls, we knew instantly this was the home we were meant to revive.

This move wasn’t just about buying a home, however. It was about building something together as a family, and embracing the beauty of slow, intentional restoration, creating a legacy for us to leave behind. While we do work full time, our true passion project is right here: breathing life back into Chapline House and opening its doors to the world.

Our vision is big and a little romantic: we dream of transforming Chapline House into a bed & breakfast, a place where guests can step back in time and experience the opulence of Victorian living while enjoying the comforts of today. Whether it's sipping coffee in a parlor filled with vintage finds or exploring the renewed charm of Centre Market and beyond, our dream is for Chapline House to feel like a magical blend of old and new.

For the past few years, we’ve been sharing glimpses of this journey on social media as @ChaplineHouse, and have been blown away by the support and community we’ve found there. With over 55,000 followers and counting, it’s become clear that there are so many others out there who love old houses, restoration, and thoughtful design as much as we do.

This blog will go deeper. We’ll share the restoration successes (and failures), inspiration boards, historic tidbits, DIY adventures, room reveals, and maybe even a few hidden gems around Wheeling. Whether you're a fellow old-house lover, someone dreaming of a move of your own, or just here for the nostalgia, we're so glad you're with us.

Welcome to Chapline House!