Tudor Revival cottages, like the concurrently popular Craftsman
cottages, were exemplars of hand-wrought details and rustic finishes.
The exterior of this house features half-timbering above rubble masonry
veneer, suggesting great age, as if the house had survived eons with
numerous alterations. The rubble is composed of quartz with some geode
inclusions, red and gray granite cobblestones, and even a half-brick or
so thrown in for variety.
A planked, arch-headed front door opens to a vestibule with a handy
coat closet. The chimney, just beside the entry, is set flush with the
front door, creating a cozy recess known as an inglenook, a design
detail found in both grand and modest homes of the period, sometimes
with built-in seating in larger examples. This inglenook seems to
expand the living space and adds great visual interest.
Although wrapped in a Tudor exterior, this house has a floor plan
typical of many Craftsman bungalows. Its three original bedrooms are
strung along one side, and two of them are multifunctional. The front
bedroom, connected to the living room by French doors, makes a great
study or overflow entertainment area. These two rooms have diamond pane
windows, with the diamond lights in both top and bottom sash — a
quality detail not often found even in much larger houses.
The middle bedroom has had a wall of bookcases added and currently
is used as a den/media room. The rear bedroom, overlooking the placid
rear garden, is the largest of the three and is right beside the
classic black-and-white tiled main bath.
The original kitchen, breakfast room, and back porch have been
combined into one large space. Pale wood cabinets are a perfect foil to
black counters and appliances, and the floors are covered with
appropriately rustic brick pavers.
The surprisingly large attic has oak floors and several skylights,
creating a bright and pleasant suite of three rooms, a full bath, and a
walk-in closet that could be used as a master suite, room for a couple
of kids, or as office/guest quarters.
The rear garden, installed by the current owner, is an outstanding
visual and functional expansion of the house. A naturalistic streambed
begins in the far corner of the yard and falls over several fieldstone
slabs and boulders before ending in a deep koi pond. A two-level deck
stretches across the entire back of the house and runs alongside the
stream.
For solitary relaxation or having the whole gang over, this Tudor
Revival is ready to rock and roll.
296 Hawthorne
Approximately 2,700 sq. ft.
4 bedrooms, 2 baths; $269,000
Realtor: Sowell & Co., 278-4380
Agent: John Littlefield, 246-7376
