1573 Kew (2000)
Picturesque and inviting, this 1952 Cape Code-like home stands on a large corner property beneath a leafy canopy of tall, straight shade trees. A beautiful and durable slate roof is a feature shared by other houses in the Forest Hills neighborhood. That the residents of Forest Hill love their community is particularly evident in this welcoming and immaculately maintained home. Upon crossing the flagstone entryway, one encounters a living room of Country French décor, so inviting that one has to resist the urge not to settle in and relax. Whites, blues and yellows create a bright and cheerful atmosphere.
The current owners have lived in this home for two years, and in that short time have done a marvelous job of decorating throughout. They did all of the stripping, painting and wallpapering themselves. Crown molding in the living room was added, and an iron railing on the stairway was replaced with a classic balustrade of finely turned wood. The stairs themselves, which had been painted green, were stripped, sanded and refinished.
The theme of the floral wallpaper and window treatments in the living room flows naturally into the dining room, which features built-in china cabinets. Beyond the dinning room is a three-season sunroom, also accessible from the kitchen. The owners have entirely up-dated the kitchen, installing new cabinets of natural cherry wood, ceramic tile flooring with a stone-like appearance, as well as new counters and appliances. The breakfast area is graced with a lovely and unusual imported Italian porcelain light fixture. Two bedrooms and a bath complete the first floor. One bedroom is used as a guest room and the other as an office.
On the second floor there are two spacious bedrooms. The master bedroom has been painted pink from top to bottom, including the woodwork. The owners have transformed this room and have given it the same inviting quality felt throughout the home. The second bedroom is a children's room. A special feature of this home is the ample storage space. The bedrooms all have large closets, some more than one. The upstairs hallway has three, including one lined in cedar.
The sun-loving plants in the yard's original flowerbed have been replaced with those that prefer the shade. Photographs on display of the home when first built picture small trees; it is hard to imagine that the mature beauties are the same trees! An herb garden near the kitchen door contains a charming bee skep (but no bees). A grouping of rustic furniture around a Mexican stove completes the aura of a home that is welcoming, inside and out.