by CLINT SCHEMMER

If you’ll pardon the metaphor, the smile on Belmont’s face needs some dental work. Which is to say that the ornate wrought-iron railing of the entrance stairs to Gari Melchers Home and Studio requires some TLC.

That’s why Scott Kreilick, a nationally known expert in the conservation of metals and masonry, was inspecting the staircase Monday. He was asked to consult with the Falmouth site after the antebellum ironwork was named among the state’s top 10 most endangered artifacts by the Virginia Association of Museums this winter.

Kreilick, whose company has conserved wrought-iron pieces in Savannah,  New Orleans and Charleston, and monuments at  many sites, admired Belmont’s tall, double-curved Aquia sandstone stairs crowned with a railing decorated with  iron curlicues and white-metal rosettes, topped by brass finials.
“It’s a well-made piece,” he said. “But it may not have been made for this location.”

That doubt is raised by the way the railing   attaches to the stone blocks of the stairs. Finding an answer will require more research, Kreilick said.

Belmont’s immediate concern is stabilizing the stairs, which have shifted over time, and properly protecting the railing against weathering, said David Berreth, the director of the national historic landmark.

The stairs and railing are solid now, but if the stairs continue settling, that could make them dangerous to use, he said.

Getting expert advice will help Belmont estimate the cost of repairs and determine “how far we can go” in conserving the staircase, Berreth said.

Down the road, he hopes that the railing’s inclusion on the Virginia Association of Museum’s  at-risk artifacts list will help Belmont raise  money to get the project done.

Such work lies beyond the scope of its yearly operating budget, he said. The historic house and museum is administered by the University of Mary Washington, but it raises about 45 percent of its funds from admissions, memberships, special events and private donations.

The VAM listing should “draw attention to the need for preservation of these precious artifacts, not only among private donors, but among state legislators, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and other state agencies,” he said.

“We hope it shows them that there are needs out there that are not being met, and that museums have things well worth preserving in which  there is  broad interest  among the public.”

Most museums don’t have funds dedicated to conservation and preservation, Berreth said.
Belmont and its supporters established a small conservation fund   a few years ago, but with seven historic buildings on the property, “that doesn’t begin to cover our needs,” he said.

Conserving a couple of Melchers’ paintings or frames per year, or tackling one building  repair, exhausts the fund.

Kreilick said he looks forward to investigating the  railing’s design, materials and creator.

“Iron’s a funny thing,” he said, noting that it’s very difficult to date, unlike other metals.

He doubted   Belmont’s railing will bear a maker’s mark. But its style and construction methods may provide clues, Kreilick said.

“It would be nice to know more about this piece’s origin, to connect it with a blacksmithing center such as Philadelphia or Charleston,” he said.
Beate Jensen—Belmont’s supervisor of building and grounds preservation—believes the railing dates to the 1840s. That’s when the  house’s owner, Joseph B. Ficklen, married his second wife, A.E. Fitzhugh.

About that time, Ficklen enlarged the Federal-style house, giving it the center-hall layout that visitors see today, adding porches, creating a boxwood walk with rose arbors and sculpting its high earthen terrace, Jensen said.

Those improvements may have pleased his bride, and were a  way of signifying their status and wealth to the community, she said. In those days, Berreth noted, visitors approached Falmouth’s hilltop mansions from the Rappahannock River, and Belmont’s terracing and stone stairs would have impressed those seeing them from  below.

Ficklen, born in Culpeper, owned several mills in the area as well as the Falmouth bridge across the river. His son, William Ficklen, inherited the house and it was his wife, Julibelle, who sold it to the Melcherses.

from blogs.fredericksburg.com

Rectangular stacked-stone veneer covers much of the front facade and flanks the garage door. Soldier courses of raised brick contribute outlining and textural contrast, as does the wavy wrought-iron railing that rims the porch. Classic keystones accent the arches that highlight two front windows, the widest of which has a particularly graceful Gothic transom.

Natural light washes into the foyer through slender sidelights. French doors on the right swing open to access a room that could be a dining room, parlor or perhaps a home office.

Straight ahead is a gathering space that comprises the great room, kitchen and nook. The fireplace offers warmth and color on dark days and chilly nights. Standing at the kitchen sink, you can chat with folks at the conversation bar, enjoy the fireplace flames, serve informal meals on the raised eating bar, and keep tabs on activities inside and out.

Through the transverse hallway right past the dining room, you can reach any room in the house. Three bedrooms, including the owners suite, are to the left, along with a two-section, general-use bathroom. The owners suite has a private bathroom, complete with a dual vanity, deep soaking tub, towel hutch and large shower, and a roomy walk-in closet.

Heading down the hallway to the right brings you to the Littlefield’s kitchen and a pass-through utility room that links with the two-car garage.

At the rear of the garage is an exceptionally deep storage-workshop area. A recreation room, bathroom and walk-in storage closet are upstairs, over the garage.

from newsok.com

An early 20th century railroad signal used for railway communications in Northern Virginia, a wrought iron stairway from a Stafford County home and wooden trunk in Dumfries all have something in common.

The Virginia Association of Museums says they are among the top 10 endangered artifacts in Virginia. Each year Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts program recognizes items that have historic and cultural significance to the Commonwealth.

An independent panel of collections and conservation experts selected the top 10 artifacts:

• Booker T. Washington National Monument (Photographs with cellulose nitrate negatives), Roanoke
• Fairfax Station Railroad Museum (Railroad Semaphore), Fairfax
• Gari Melchers Home & Studio at Belmont (Wrought Iron Staircase Railing), Fredericksburg
• Hermitage Museum & Gardens (Korean 18th century Sakyamuni Triad Silk Tapestry), Norfolk
• Historic Dumfries Virginia, Inc. (Wood Trunk Covered in Deerskin, circa 1800), Manassas
• Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, University of Virginia (Yolngu Bark Painting), Charlottesville
• Library of Virginia (Executive Papers of Governor Thomas Jefferson, 1779-1781), Richmond
• The Mariners’ Museum (USS Monitor’s Revolving Gun Turret), Newport News
• Preservation Virginia (John Marshall’s Supreme Court Judicial Robes), Richmond
• Virginia National Guard Historical Society (1846 Mexican War National Flag), Blackstone

The railroad semaphore submitted by the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum is original to the Railroad Station. It is one of very few remaining artifacts remaining from the Railroad Station, which served the Southern Railway. The Railroad Station was part of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, a railroad that played a key role in Confederate victories during the Civil War.

The wrought iron staircase railing is from the Gari Melchers Home & Studio at Belmont. Melcher was an impressionist painter who lived in Stafford County from 1916 until his death in 1932.

Historic Dumfries, Virginia submitted a wood trunk covered in deerskin from about 1800 for consideration. The trunk had been on display at the Weems-Botts Museum but because it has deteriorated, it was taken off display. It may be restored.

from wtop.com

By Charles Fleming

This is a brisk city walk with a country feeling, starting high in Hollywood’s Beachwood Canyon and climbing almost to the base of the Hollywood sign. Along the way are fantastic views of the Hollywood Reservoir, some famous homes and a visit to some of the area’s secret public staircases.

Begin your walk in Beachwood Canyon, a mile or so north of Franklin Avenue on North Beachwood Drive. Park in the vicinity of the Beachwood Market, at the corner of Belden Drive, perhaps after a hearty breakfast at the Village Coffee Shop (2695 N. Beachwood Drive). Then head west on Belden and begin the ascent.

Watch for oncoming traffic on this narrow, winding road. Follow it to the tight switchback left onto Flagmoor Place, then bear left as Flagmoor, continuing to rise, turns into Durand Drive. On your right you’ll see, rising steeply, the stone walls of a Norman chateau. Turn right at the front gates of this structure and find the beginning of the fire road leading down toward the Hollywood Reservoir.

The chateau is an old Hollywood home once known as Wolf’s Lair. It was built for L. Milton Wolf, one of the original Hollywoodland real estate team who developed the Beachwood area and placed the famous sign on the mountain above. (Other Hollywoodland investors included former Los Angeles Times Publisher Harry Chandler and Pacific Electric Railway director Gen. M.H. Sherman, after whom Sherman Oaks is named.) It was later home to Debbie Reynolds and more recently was bought and remodeled by music maker Moby.

Follow the fire road downhill as the Hollywood Reservoir spreads out before you. At the T-intersection, turn right onto a wide path that is actually a defunct section of the old Mulholland Highway. (It used to curve down the hill and cross the dam before continuing on across the Cahuenga Pass. You may tread upon sections of old asphalt as you walk here.) The trail will be decorated now by cactus, agave, yucca and Spanish broom, a beautiful and sweet-smelling invasive weed hated by native plant enthusiasts. Climb a little as the trail narrows and bends, bearing always right and staying close to the hillside.

In time, the Hollywood sign and an enormous Mediterranean villa will appear. The massive 1926 structure is known as Castillo del Lago and used to be the residence for another music maven, Madonna. Before that, it was home to gangster Bugsy Siegel, who is said to have run an illegal gambling operation here.

The trail will approach Castillo del Lago and hug its walls as it rises to become a paved section of Mulholland and to meet Canyon Lake Drive. Turn left, and head downhill.

High up to the right is the famed Hollywood sign. High up to the left is a hillside vineyard, where grapes are grown for Hollywood’s only native winery, Hollywood Classic Wine, which cultivates grapes on six of its estimated 40 acres of property. (Bottles of its 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon cost $200, if you can get one. Only 100 cases were produced.)

Down and to the left is the Hollywood Reservoir, a man-made lake said to hold 2.5 billion gallons of water behind a dam dating from 1924. The dam and water storage scheme were designed by William Mulholland, whose visionary ideas formed the back story to the Roman Polanski movie classic “Chinatown.”

Follow Canyon Lake Drive down to a stop sign, at Tahoe Drive. To visit the lake itself, turn left here and walk downhill a couple of blocks. Then turn left and enter the gated pedestrian walkway around the lake. It’s just over 1.5 miles from this point to the dam.

Otherwise, walk straight on. Ignore the “No outlet” sign and climb Canyon Lake Drive until it terminates in a cul-de-sac backed by a white gate. Go around the gate and continue climbing on the wide path that hangs in the shadow of the Hollywood sign.

Now you will be closer to the abundant canyon wildlife. I’ve heard reports of deer and coyote along here, as well as varieties of lizards and snakes. Easier to spot are the cactus, yucca, sycamore and oak that grow on the lower slopes and the eucalyptus that tower high above.

The trail will eventually wind around and meet paved road — Mulholland Drive again. To get even closer to the Hollywood sign, or indeed to walk directly to it, turn left here and follow Mulholland. Stay to the left where Mulholland meets Ledgewood Drive and continue up and around. Mulholland will eventually run out of pavement and will meet Mt. Lee Drive. Staying always to the left, follow this trail until you find yourself above the famous lettered sign. You’ll be treated to fine views of the city, facing south, and the San Fernando Valley, facing north — with an unexpected bird’s eye view of the Mt. Sinai and Forest Lawn cemeteries.

If you’re not in the mood for that, turn right on Mulholland. Walk to the first corner, then turn left onto Durand Drive. Follow this down and around — watch your step as the road terraces — and appreciate the many strange hillside-hanging homes as you pass them. Dig the tiki art at 3220, the totem pole at 3092 and the geodesic dome home at 3158, said to be an original Buckminster Fuller residence, but … maybe not.

Just after the house at 2960, look carefully on the left for a wrought iron railing and a set of concrete steps. This is a public staircase. Take it, and descend between houses to emerge at a bend in Belden Drive. Turn left, follow Belden around a couple of corners and find another public staircase on the right.

This is a fine granite-and-concrete structure dating from 1928. It once had a stream of water running down the center of it, where flowers and succulents now grow. It also is popular with runners and climbers, some of whom you may see working their way up and down the risers.

from LATIMES.COM

Heartless thieves have targeted a cemetery – stealing historic metal railings. The ruthless crooks are believed to have made four trips to the Camelon burial ground to pinch the wrought-iron fencing.

Now a call has come to step up security at the cemetery to stop even more thefts and any further damage being carried out.

Around 40 yards of the five-foot tall fencing was stolen in a fortnight, with the latest theft discovered on October 8.

Thieves are likely to have taken the railing for scrap value and police believe that they must have cut it into smaller sections, given its weight.

Councillor Gerry Goldie, whose ward takes in the cemetery, described the theft as “heartbreaking”.

The ornate railing had been in place for over 100 years and during the Second World War is understood to have escaped the removal for the war effort because it bordered consecrated ground.

Mr Goldie said: “This is heartbreaking and I hope if any member of the public saw anything they will immediately get in touch with the police.

“However, I believe that the council also has a responsibility to look again at the issue of security for our cemeteries, whether it be by electronic methods or patrols.”

He also urged that the task of replacing the railing be given to a local foundry. The cost of this work has still to be determined.

Colin Cunningham, Falkirk Council’s estates manager, said: “A number of sections of the fence around the cemetery have been removed on four occasions over the past two weeks.

“We were shocked that anyone would want to remove these as they are ornately designed, over 100 years old and mark the boundary of a consecrated area.

“We have been working with the police to try to identify the culprits, as well as looking at what possible additional security measures could be put in place while still respecting people’s rights to privacy.

“It is truly disappointing to see that vandalism can take place at the cemetery and we would urge anyone with any knowledge to get in touch with the police as soon as possible.”

A spokeswoman for Central Scotland Police said: “We have had reports of damage and a substantial amount of railings have been removed. We would appeal for anyone who was in the area and spotted anything suspicious to get in touch with us.”

from falkirkherald.co.uk

By Paula McCooey

Part of the fun of travelling is taking in the unique architecture of other cities and countries. But it’s not so easy to bring those discoveries home with you, except in photographs.

Brian Morris found a way.

Twenty years ago, Morris was vacationing with his family in California and fell in love with the Spanish-style homes of upscale Bel Air. The peach stucco exteriors, copious arched windows and beautiful clay roofs were like rays of sunshine and brought him back to the days when he lived in Bangalore, India, as a young boy.

The 64-year-old man had always longed for a place like his childhood home, which had a similar Mediterranean design, and he thought, “Wouldn’t it be great if Ottawa had homes like that?”

A few years after that California trip, that longing returned when Morris drove up to his newly built Richcraft home in Hunt Club Park and all he saw was the garage.

“I said, ‘Is this a house or is this a garage,’ ” he says. Like many tract homes of the time, the garage was the dominant feature.

So, after many years of saving and planning, he mustered the energy in 2007 to transform his home into the hacienda he always wanted.

“It’s different and I was sort of tired of the tract type of housing,” Morris says while sitting in what was once the garage that drove him to take a leap of faith. Now it’s his tropical great room.

“I wanted to do something different and I had two minds about doing something in this area.

“But I had already invested so much (into the original home) and we have a huge backyard and it is a good location. So I said, ‘This is my home, I’m going to make it comfortable, and do what I want.’ ”

It was neither an easy, nor cheap, endeavour to find the perfect architect and builder to take on the project.

He had hired two architects to draft a few drawings, but, despite the few thousand dollars he had invested, neither were good fits for what he had envisioned. A third also didn’t work out.

But he lucked out when he hired Dwayne Guy, owner of Riverdale Construction and Renovations Ltd., to take on the task and transform the threebedroom, four-bath home, expanding it to 3,700 square feet from the original 2,100 by adding 800 square feet to the front. An 800-square-foot sunroom that was added to the back of the house in 1998, designed by Urban Keios, was updated in 2010 with new floors, pillars, and a new bathroom to align with the renovation at the front of the house.

Morris based much of his concepts for his dream home on photos from his travels, the previous architectural drawings and his own ideas.

Guy – Morris affectionately refers to him as General Patton because he was able to take charge and get the job done – suggested they subcontract an architect he trusted to help them pull all the ideas into one plan.

Then came four months of work. “It’s a Canadian-type construction but we made it look Spanish-style,” says Guy. “We researched many companies (for the) tile roof … and it took us a while to find the colour blend that we wanted, which was from Sherwin-Williams. We used a standard Apex stucco. I just liked the way it went on, I liked the finished texture and it was better than some of the others.”

Guy says he’s thrilled with the way the home turned out, but admits he had some reservations about the project at first, knowing that the roof would be expensive.

“I wasn’t a big fan of this roof … just from the point of view that it is a large cost for a roof,” he says, adding the challenge was lining up the new roof lines with the original roof.

The bulk of the work was finished last October.

What Morris envisioned was realized outside, as well as inside.

Walk through the home and you can hear the sound of the water fountain in the backyard that sits under a weeping oak. Morris loves the sound and is convinced the constant trickle helps to lower his blood pressure.

“When you open the front door, you should be able to see the garden (out the back door); that was part of the design,” says Morris. “Not that that is good Feng Shui … they say if you have your front door and your back door (aligned), your money goes right through the house,” he says with a hearty laugh.

Good thing he has a sense of humour. The retired public servant says he stopped counting the cost of the renovation at $160,000. The job included adding a new garage to the side, an 18-foothigh grand foyer with decorative columns and marble floors, a new family room in the back of the home with four skylights, large windows with California shutters and an open-to-below feature from the upstairs master bedroom and new home office.

The old living room became an enlarged dining room and the former dining room became an informal eating area. The carpet was removed and replaced with new cherry-stained oak hardwood and ornate Spanish-style iron spindles were installed along the curved staircase.

Morris bought all his designer chandeliers, lighting and furniture through discount home decor wholesaler Direct Buy.

The property received a facelift with the help of a new a maintenance-free landscaped yard by Artistic Landscape Design (artisticlandscape.on.ca) that exudes a lush tropical effect with vibrant red and pink canna lilies, bougainvilleas, begonias, and geraniums.

The wide stone pieces that make up the pathway and stairs are made of stone with fossil inlay from Rajasthan, India – a nod to Morris’s heritage – and nicely complements the peach stucco, which Morris says changes colour according to the outside light. A custom wrought-iron railing on the front porch by Evolution Iron (evolutioniron.com) underscores the Spanish theme. And the roof, the key to the overall villa design, was the cherry on top, costing Morris an extra $35,000 as a specialized job.

While he wanted the look of an authentic clay roof, he couldn’t use the same tiles seen in the south of France, Tuscany or Spain.

So Morris purchased Decra tile from RRC Roofing on Sheffield Road, which also did the labour. Decra is a stone-coated steel made to look like authentic Mediterranean tile, but it withstands harsh winters and is fire resistant.

to be continued

from ottawacitizen.com

Tim Kenway

WONDERFUL street presence and private walled courtyards are just two of the attributes of this elegantly inspired home.

Originally constructed for a European couple, it is little touches like formally prepared courtyard gardens, generous use of glass, half pipe terra cotta roof and the privacy obtained from a deep breezeway setback to the double timber doors of the main entry that set it apart.

A grove of coastal paperbarks line the informal kerbside gardens and a wide driveway lifts to a double door garage. Neatly trimmed three metre height lilly pilly line the solid boundary walls to the courtyards and a beautiful native gardenia welcomes you with a delicious fragrance.

A pair of handsome custom made wrought iron gates secure the breezeway and the lofted portico also features cut outs of wrought iron.

The black wrought ironwork of these gates corresponds nicely to dark framed windows, sliding doors and strategically placed picture windows.

An open vestibule has a facing wall which carries the walled staircase, while traditional terra cotta tiles begin and run right throughout traffic and open living spaces.

A pale exterior render is carried through in a soft cream internal palette.

The staircase is a focal point of open living rooms, while the house concentrates on the wonderful east and northern light through two stories of sliding glass doors and fixed upper level panels.

Light plays across the home through these walls of tinted glass and sliding doors connect to a pillared loggia.

Dark granite bench tops and stainless appliances highlight the centrally located kitchen.

A stainless exhaust hood sits above a gas hob, with a wall mounted oven and under bench dishwasher. The atrium height walls and cupped light fittings provide a perfect canvas for favourite art pieces, while the open sky outlook and green backdrop of the courtyard gardens deliver complete privacy.

Two downstairs bedrooms set to the southern wall of the house are served and separated by a full bathroom. The southern wall of this outdoor room has an upper bank of adjustable cedar louvres to soften the sometime blustery south easterly winds.

A second tier hedge of magnolia along the eastern boundary provides colour and interest in the spring.

A security gate leads through to the Romanesque inspired pool for those days when you are not at the beach for an ocean swim. There is an automatic sprinkler system set up for the grounds.

Taking the carpeted staircase to the upper floor finds you in an open mezzanine room that runs down the length of the house to arrive at double doors isolating the main ensuited bedroom.

This serene upper level is a private retreat away from the main body of the house.

A southern view of the ocean is captured from this main bedroom. For those who like to do their entertaining under their own roof, this beautifully presented and well maintained home may be just the answer.

For dogs and their owners the stretch of beach provides off the leash exercise for your four-footed mates.

from noosanews.com.au

Luxury homebuilder Larry Culp deftly sited his own Acadian French-inspired home at the edge of a pristine north Louisiana lake within North Pointe subdivision. And with a master’s stroke and an eye for detail, Culp has created a retreat for his family and friends to enjoy.

Edged in reclaimed brick, a technique Culp discovered on one of his many trips to South Louisiana, the home’s landscaping celebrates native plants that thrive in our climate – palmettos, azaleas, magnolias, Indian hawthorn, mandevilla, hibiscus and elephant ears – handpicked by landscaper Roy Bennett. In the center of the circle driveway, a sugar kettle water feature with a fleur de lis sculptural accent is nestled among blooms of drought-resistant flowers. The stucco and brick exterior of the home is brightened with wrought iron window baskets overflowing with hardy impatiens. An elegant garçonierre, opposite the garage, welcomes visitors and adds visual interest to the landscape.

Unmissed details like arched wooden garage doors are typical of Culp’s style of homebuilding. It’s the extra touches that add up to major “wow-factors” when Culp designs and builds a home. Bevelo exterior lighting, Old English ridge tiles and antique brick throughout add to the authenticity of the home.

Upon entering the foyer, the combined dining room and great room set the tone for a unique open feel. Atop an Aubusson needlepoint rug, the gold leafed and antique mirror topped dining table is a custom-made creation by Pettigrew in Dallas. A large paned, bay window looks out onto the front water feature as the sun casts its rays inside on the glimmering rock crystal chandelier dripping with pink, red and clear prisms from a gold ceiling medallion.

Gorgeous heart of pine wide-plank floors and enormous reclaimed cypress beams add continuity throughout the home. Culp is a master at repurposing materials, and the wood floors, beams and brick used in this home are no exception, as they were originally the bones of an industrial warehouse in Donaldsonville.

The custom, made-to-order Spanish cedar windows and doors are yet another unifying element in the Culp house. Their large panes and graceful arches make the views from inside out even more appealing. In between these doors and windows are sconces by Flambeau, one of Culp’s favorite lighting artists. The welcoming double front door is antique cypress with delicate wrought iron work.

Local artist Jenny Howse was employed by Culp to embellish key areas of interest throughout the home. Above an arched doorway in the foyer of the home that leads to the guest bedroom and bath, Howse painted a lovely cameo, instantly adding drama to the space. Along the edge of the wrought iron ballustered staircase, Howse painted a whimsical vine leading the viewer visually to the top of the stairs. Says Culp of the artist, “Jenny is a tremendous artist with a great sense of humor and so much talent.”

The interior spaces Culp has created are a juxtaposition of the modern with a touch of antiquity. In the Great Room, vintage chic sofas with lush velvet pillows co-exist with a Baroque French master painting in an ornate gilded frame Culp found at Material Things and an Indian-carved media center from Urban Village with a distinct world vibe. Interesting accents such as a large onyx lamp on a mirrored side table and a large pouf, which serves as a coffee table, add to the eclectic vibe. Three large arched French doors across the back of the house overlook the lake. The interior-side of the windows throughout are stained a beautiful honeyed glaze while the window exteriors are painted one of the historical colors, Rockwood Red, that Culp is inclined to use.

The master bedroom and en suite bath seem to be inspired by timeless Mediterranean architecture with an exquisite beveled ceiling that leades to a central dome from which hangs an exceptional Venetian glass and crystal chandelier with gold shells and crystal prisms. The dome is painted by Howse in a French design of elegant silver and gold flourishes. A large, sage green French Trumeau mirror with gilded accents dominates one wall while a contemporary black and white striped slipper chair with nailhead accents from Inside Indigo lends modernity to the space. Bella Notte bedding in hues of grey, cream and purple layered in luxe burned-out velvets, laces and embroidered jacquards offer a respite from the day. A French settee and armchairs are positioned in the perfect reading spot beneath a wall of Spanish cedar windows that afford a glimpse at the lake and its wildlife beyond. A fireplace at bedside peeks through to the master bath.

to be continue

from thenewsstar.com

By Connie Adair

One of the most surprising features of this traditional brick home is its wood- panelled entrance foyer, which has an 18-foot ceiling, a custom wrought iron staircase and turn-of-the-century stained and leaded glass windows.

The home, built in the early 1900s, was fully renovated to code in 2002. “When undertaking this renovation, the owners made a great effort to retain the traditional elegance and features of this century-old home,” says listing agent John Maguire of Royal LePage Real Estate Services.

“They restored the exterior of the home, the stained glass, leaded glass and bay window features,” says co-listing agent Julia Lorenzetti. “They also added to the exterior with reclaimed vintage cobblestones on the circular driveway, solid exterior doors and a sprinkler system.”

The home’s modern conveniences include a central vacuum system, a commercial humidification system, a security system, wiring and dimmers throughout, intercom and sound systems, a home theatre and professional appliances.

A Turkish marble fireplace in the living room and a coffered ceiling, crown moulding and wainscotting in the dining room are other features.

The kitchen, designed for entertaining, has a 16-foot island, Brazilian chocolate granite counters, a wine rack and French doors that lead to the dining room and study. The breakfast room has a walkout to a deck, which has a barbecue.

A fireplace and built-in cabinetry in the master bedroom, a whirlpool tub in the master ensuite bathroom and a loft bedroom are other highlights. The loft has a beamed cathedral ceiling, four skylights, its own heating and cooling system, a gas fireplace and built-in storage.

The three-storey home has decks or balconies on each floor and two legal apartments on the lower level. Each of the one-bedroom apartments has more than 500 square feet of living space, a separate entrance, separate metering and laundry

facilities.

The 34×147-foot lot has a two-car, double-door brick garage, a sprinkler system, a perennial garden and a granite front porch and walkway.

“The home combines modern quality and conveniences with a more traditional elegant style that would appeal to any couple or family. The house requires very little maintenance, especially with the grounds, so it would be perfect for a couple who likes to travel and appreciates the cosmopolitan style of the decor,” Mr. Maguire says. “The home is also perfect for entertaining and would suit an executive or diplomat.”

“In fact, the home has been host to dignitaries and diplomats from around the world,” says Ms. Lorenzetti.

from life.nationalpost.com

Nathan Spicer

The basics: For the first time in 40 years, this two-story, 23-room home in Lower Hillsborough is on the market. It was built in 1917 and designed by architect Arthur Brown Jr., who also designed San Francisco City Hall. The wraparound gardens were planned by landscape architect Thomas Church.

The house’s facade includes copper-lined awnings and cupolas, plus balconies with wrought iron railings.

A brick entry flanked by birch trees and foliage leads to a covered-entry porch and a finely detailed front door. The foyer features parquet oak hardwood flooring, crown molding and recessed art spotlighting.

The formal dining room has a wall of mirrors and windows overlooking the grounds.

A trey ceiling tops the living room, which also has oak flooring and a wood-burning fireplace with an antique mantel. Built-in mirrored shelves are also here, and sliding doors lead outside.

The den has built-in cabinetry and library shelving, plus picture windows.

The chef’s kitchen contains oak hardwood flooring, Corian counters, stainless steel appliances and backsplash, under-cabinet lighting and a dual sink.

Sliding glass doors in the family room lead to the exterior.

The master suite features doors that open to an office and three sets of mirrored closets. The room also connects to a bath with travertine slab flooring, a dual sink, soaking tub and bidet.

A tower room includes a two-story domed ceiling and windows overlooking the manicured grounds.

What you’ll love about it: Custom entry gates lead into the property, where lush gardens cover more than half an acre. This area also includes lawns, mature trees and an elevated terrace with a swimming pool. Other items include statues, wooden totems, a hand-forged bell from the steamship Susan and an iron crest from the original Bank of America building in San Francisco, plus a wine cave that’s built into the side of a hill.

Size: This seven-bedroom, 4.5-bath home provides 7,000 square feet of living space

from sfgate.com