Charlie Allen Restorations

When your contractor is frequently compared to Honest Abe, you know you're working with someone special. A Harvard grad with a Lincolnesque beard, Charlie Allen has pursued the art of historic restoration and renovation since 1978. Over the decades, he's amassed a veritable trophy case of preservation awards while recruiting an equally talented staff (he even pays for their continuing education). Together, he and his team bring period homes back to their original luster, room by room. Allen's company is admirably forward-looking, too: Project development manager Mark Philben is a certified green remodeler.

Photo: A kitchen by Charlie Allen Restorations.