Today I had the great pleasure of touring 10 Revere Street on Sumner Hill. Methinks this is one of the finest pieces of architecture in Jamaica Plain let alone maybe the best location. Upon climbing up the steps and crossing the enormous porch you enter a massive door the likes of which can’t be found these days.

The foyer is easily my favorite location in the house, which I guess makes sense as one would consider that their first impression. A substantial archway frames the room punctuated by a handsome staircase and fireplace. I currently live in a modest little condo and can only imagine the feeling of satisfaction one gets when entering this magnificent home only to be greeted by a crackling hearth.

There is a formal living room in the front  and a dining room in the rear. Giant windows provide ‘king-of-the-hill’ views over the rest of Sumner Hill and JP. Each windows frames out another perfect view. One particular view from the dining room looks into an outdoor sitting area with beautiful rock work and one of the turrets of Saint John’s Episcopal Church. This is the type of setting only found in Europe or the like.

The Jamaica Plain Historical Society describes the locale:

The Queen Anne-style is particularly well represented on Sumner Hill, and the area hosts some of the most architecturally sophisticated examples of the style. Large, well-detailed houses constructed in the mid-1880s, exhibiting complex plans, asymmetrical fenestration, elaborate porches, contrasting surface textures, and multiple chimneys, stand at 6, 8, 22 Everett Street, 11 Revere Street, and 11 Roanoke Avenue. 10 Revere Street, an exceptional example of the style designed by the well-known Boston firm of Ware and Van Brunt, is also responsible for Memorial Hall and the Episcopal Divinity School at Harvard University. This handsome house has an unusual roofline, vertical and horizontal boarding, turned porch posts, and a lively mix of shingles and clapboards. Other good examples of the style are located at 9 and 14 Newbern Street.

Obviously the mortgage on this little diddy is no chump change, but the pain is eased a bit by the two in-law or au pair units contained within the plan. The lower level has a quaint 1 bedroom apartment with a surprising amount of natural light. The third floor and cupola contain what is probably the most unique 2 bedroom apartment in Jamaica Plain. The spaces ooze history and charm. Imagine climbing the spiral staircase to the cupola room and climbing into bed with a skylight window and a view of the Boston skyline.

John Maxfield of Prudential Unlimited Realty will be having an open house there this Sunday from 1p-3p. Owner will entertain offers within PVRM 55: $1,195,000 to $1,394,876. Offers will be responded to April 15, 2009. Owner reserves the right to accept an offer above the range at any time.