Carolina lawmakers go back to the future.

• Position: North and South Carolina state Capitol buildings

Lawmakers in both South and North Carolina took a trip backward in time when they re-entered the halls of their venerable old Capitol buildings this year.

South Carolina's 143-year-old State House reopened officially in August after undergoing three years of renovation. At a cost of $48 million it was restored to its original 19th century glory, complete with new copper dome and Victorian era furniture.

And it is indeed a lighter, brighter building. Black paint that had covered the glass on the inside of the rotunda was scraped off. Interior colors - based on extensive research of the building's earliest days - are softer and lighter.

More than $857,000 was spent on designer cloth wall coverings for legislative chambers and other rooms. Special fabric was imported from France for use as drapery fringe. The ornate, pressed tin ceilings also were painstakingly restored by workers lying on their back atop huge scaffolds.

"The place is just replete with history," noted Speaker David Wilkins. "It brings something special to what we're about. I think it demands respect."

Gone is the hodgepodge of 20th century additions to the building, including the wall-to-wall carpet that masked the marble in the second floor lobby, as well as the dropped ceilings and partition walls in many offices. The Capitol floor plan now corresponds more closely to the original design, although new fire exits and handicapped access elevators were added.

Safety was one of the motivations for the renovation. In fact, a quarter of the total restoration budget went toward making the building safer.

Makeshift wiring and plumbing were replaced, asbestos was removed and a new roof was put on, the slate coming from the same quarry as the original stone. Workers also excavated underneath parts of the foundation to install two new foundations designed to prevent a collapse during an earthquake.

"It's a beautiful facility," noted Senate Clerk Frank Caggiano. "I...