One of the oldest planned towns in Central Florida
Winter Park was incorporated in 1887, two years after Rollins College was founded there as Florida’s first four-year college. The town was planned from the start, its founders set architectural standards for buildings, and the grid they laid out is still easy to see around Park Avenue. In Olde Winter Park, narrow brick streets wind under old live oaks and camphor trees. Hannibal Square is one of the town’s historic neighborhoods, and several lakes are linked by canals into the Winter Park Chain of Lakes.
The city takes its history seriously. It has its own historic preservation ordinance, a Historic Preservation Board and a local register of historic places, administered by city staff.
Older walls, original details
That history shows up inside the houses too. When a home still has its original plaster, wood floors, door casings, mantels or built-in cabinets, the owner usually wants to keep them. The new wall should look like it belongs to the house, not like a showroom display bolted onto it.
For that reason, painted finishes are often the right answer here: shiplap, board and batten, picture-frame molding or simple raised panels in a color that works with the existing trim. They suit the scale of older rooms, and they can be installed with fasteners into the framing in a way that is reversible, which matters if the house is designated or may be sold to someone who values its originality.
Older walls also take more preparation. Plaster that has settled for decades is rarely flat, so boards have to be shimmed or the wall furred out before the finish goes on. Outlets in old houses can be on circuits that were extended more than once, and we have a licensed Florida electrician check the wiring before anything is added.
Rebuilt lots and newer homes
Not every house here is old. Some streets now mix original homes with new houses built on older lots, and the work inside those new homes is a lot closer to what we do in newer suburbs: flat drywall, standard stud spacing, and room for a media wall with a recessed TV, linear fireplace and integrated lighting.
Our work in Winter Park
In February 2026 we built a painted shiplap accent wall in Winter Park for about $4,900. It’s a good example of a finish that fits the town: clean lines, a painted surface and a wall that adds character without competing with the house.
Winter Park is only about 15 to 20 minutes north of downtown Orlando, so scheduling a measurement is easy, and there is no trip fee.
