2558 Guilford Road (1993)

This classic brick Georgian Revival house was built for Sarah Bonnell in 1919 and has been owned and occupied by only three other families since then. The present owners have overseen extensive decorative renovation to both interior and exterior in keeping with its architectural style.

The exterior of the house has been sandblasted to expose the original brick and effect a more typically Georgian appearance. A severe wind storm necessitated replacement of the roof with the present putty-colored one, and the wrought iron window balcony supports have been refinished.

The large, circular entrance hallway has been repapered and the carpeting was taken up to reveal the oak floors. Of particular note are the carved mantle and surrounding bookcases in the living room, which were carved on site when the house was built. Interestingly, the ornate design is fairly inconsistent with the Georgian style and with the rest of the interior features of the house.

The dining room, however, has been recently redecorated to enhance its essentially Georgian architectural elements - the bay window dentil pattern on the mantle and crown moldings, and the door and window design. The paint color is typical of the period and complements the plated wall sconces, which are original to the house.

One of the most remarkable aspects of this house is the scope and variety of storage space provided when the house was built. From the many drawers and cabinets in the former butlers pantry (now family room) to the various closets on the second floor, which include a cedar closet, floor-to-ceiling closets in the front guest bedroom, a dressing room off the master bath, and a utility closet complete with sink, the original owners were prepared to stow any number of possessions. The elevator installed near the back stairs, then, provided the means to also move them. Still functioning using a counter-balanced rope pulley system, the elevator opens on all four floors, and remains a charming curiosity in a truly elegant house.