I know it’s been a while since you’ve heard from me – and I’m sure that brings a tear to your eye, but I have a fabulous “Home of The Week” for you. There are a lot of cute homes in “JP” no doubt. Every once in a while you come across an owner who has that special talent for design. That’s Anna. She’s sharp as a whip and a bit of a Super Mom.

Open dining and kitchen

I’m not really sure how she managed a career, pregnancy and this stint as General Contractor, but she did – and it’s smashing.

From the street, this fashionable home on Plainfield St. is an unassuming Colonial, not unlike other single families in Jamaica Plain. Although it has a large yard and beautiful landscaping (you wouldn’t know it right now as it’s hidden under a layer of snow) you might not give it a lot of thought if you were walking by. However, behind the front door is an attention to detail and design seldom seen.

Anna had some help from her hubby Edward, but I think even he would give her the lion share of credit for this enormous undertaking. I sat with them recently at the robust dining table and talked about the work they had done. I got woozy. Much of the work that Anna did took place behind the walls. This isn’t just a little icing on a cake. She engineered this home top to bottom. Feel free to grab us at the open house Dec 13th (11:30a-1:30p) and we’ll tell  you all about that, but for now I’ll show you the fun stuff.

You enter a pretty common foyer with a set of stairs up and a doorway to the kitchen – which is uncommon. It’s kind of hard to describe Anna’s style but I guess you could call it Danish Modern.

Custom cabs, honed granite & fab apps

There’s just the right mix of mod light fixtures and Italian tile with warm wooden furniture and European decor. The powder blue cabinets are the first thing you notice. They look sturdy and significant – not the normal stock. It turns out that Anna had them custom finished because she couldn’t find something she liked that was mass produced. This is the kind of kitchen where you can make a serious meal and entertain a large group of people. The massive center island houses a Dacor range and a stainless steel vent hood hangs down from the ceiling. The honed granite counters contrast perfectly with the modern cabinets and the sleek tile backsplash. The wall oven and microwave are also Dacor and there’s a ginormous Amana fridge that could hold provisions for an army. It’s all well lit with recessed lighting and plenty of great natural light.

One of my favorite features of this home is the half flight up, half flight down design of the living and family rooms. It gives you easy and immediate access to both but provides enough separation that guests wont hear pots and pans banging while they’re conversing or watching the game, but getting food and drinks back and forth is a snap. Also, as those with kids would appreciate, mom or dad can easily keep an eye on the kids without having them underfoot during food prep or adult convos.  In the photo above, the door on the left goes up to the more formal living room, while the door on the right goes down a half flight to a family room.

Master bath

This was originally designed as a master suite. It is expansive and has french doors out to a very private patio on one side and sleek, narrow windows on the other that afford a little more privacy while allowing natural light to flood the room. The bathroom that ajoins this space is rich. Upon opening the door you are enveloped in cool green mosaic-like tiles and and a timeless marble floor. It’s not that thin, slippery, cheap stuff. It has a real permanence to it. The bathrooms in this home, in general, are amazing and will all look great in 20 years. The design is classic and solid. It’s the kind of materials you might see in a Gropius house or the like.

This space also has good storage and a laundry closet. It’s currently used as a family room where little Archie and Harrison can play without being out of earshot and mommy’s watchful eye. It’s even big enough to make into an au pair suite or an in-law when you need help with the kids. (That’s one lucky nanny.)

A half flight up from the kitchen is the formal living room. It has a cavernous volume to it. Cathedral ceilings slope down to a modern fireplace surrounded by a sophisticated, neutral tile.

Living room

Master bed or family room?

The combined open kitchen/dining, living room and family room are enough space to have a very large group of people without anyone feeling like they’re bumping into each other.

Off the foyer and the kitchen you’ll find another stunning full bathroom, mud room, closet (formerly used as a study!) and a door leading out to the deck and another large patio.

Anna put more work and money into her bathrooms than most people put into their whole house. Both of the lower level baths have showers with a simple glass panel and a tile ridge to keep the water in. The faucetry throughout the home is all the very best money can buy – each fixture, each faucet making a subtle, sophisticated statement.

The upstairs bath is a Zen paradise. The focal point of the room is a beautiful soaking tub with sleek, modern lines that contrasts remarkably with the slate floor. All the baths have undergone a full transition with recessed lights and touches that indicate this was no “once over” renovation.

Upstairs bath with sleek soaking tub

There is a landing at the top of the stairs with three bedrooms off of it and the bath I just described.  The largest of the upstairs rooms is currently used as the master. Anna & Edward outfitted this room with a fantastic closet, of course. The second bedroom is quite large as well and the third upstairs room is a perfect room for a child or a nursery.

There is multi-zoned heating and air conditioning throughout the home and all sorts of electrical and plumbing upgrades.

If you’re not familiar with the Parkside Neighborhood of Jamaica Plain, the name kind of says it all. To the North is a beautiful park bordering Williams Street and Dungarven Road. There are vegetable plots there and the neighborhood folks sometimes use it for pot lucks and such. Just a block away at the corner of Rossmore Road and Stedman Street you’ll find a brand new tot lot completely outfitted with state-of-the-art play structures and a bouncy soft ground material. Two blocks to the east is Franklin Park which is home to America’s oldest zoo and golf course and some fantastic trails. I often ride my bike there. Recently a friend showed my some great foraging opportunities just minutes from the entrance and my daughter loves to go geocaching and letterboxing there as well. I hope you can make it by our open house on Sunday. Of course call if you have any questions. 617-828-7956 or www.TheBostonHomeTeam.com for a virtual tour.

I am currently sitting on the couch at 65 Brookside in the Brewery District of Jamaica Plain. I’m giving Home of the Week to this condo for the 2nd time because it’s that cool. I think it’s a perfect dwelling in many ways:

1. It’s incredibly efficient. The highest energy bill of the year is less than $100, and most are a fraction of that. It is heated by compact Rinnai heaters on each floor.

2. The location is perfect. Situated right in the middle of Jamaica Plain’s Brewery District – walking distance to Mikes Fitness, Bella Luna, Ula Cafe and both Green Street and Stoney Brook stations. It’s also a few blocks from Franklin Park and Centre Street with all it’s shops and restaurants.

3. This is a one-of-kind property. There is nothing like it. Designed from the humble beginnings of a shoe factory – now one of three market rate units in an artist live/work community. From the historic architecture and smokestack to the old boardwalk that runs the length of the building allowing the community to chat and engage each other.

4. Really good space. The plan is incredibly flexible – use it how you see fit, but currently the entire first floor is set up as a wicked studio space.

Check it out at www.65brookside.com. I’m happy to show it to you anytime. Just call me at 617-828-7956.

I just happened upon Andree and Ken’s weblog on Neighbor’s For Neighbors community organizing website (I guess it’s working). I’m excited about the prospect of watching them renovate their very old home with an eye to giving it a zero carbon footprint.

Jack's Store is now JP Green House

I signed up for their newsletters and I think you should too. Here’s a snippet from their project page:

The JP Green House is a zero carbon* demonstration project, sustainable urban model and hub for 350.org climate action founded by Andrée Zaleska and Ken Ward. We are rehabbing an abandoned, 100 year old, former neighborhood store located on the line between Jamaica Plain and Roslindale in Boston, Massachusetts. Our aim is to achieve passivhaus standards, win substantial independence from grid supplies of water and electricity, and supply a large portion of our food on a modest income. We are retrofitting the former “Jack’s store” as space for workshops and trainings, neighborhood events and gatherings like our JP Family SongFest.

The JP Green House is located at 133 Bourne Street, Roslindale. We welcome visitors & volunteers and have a schedule of activities and events. You can contact us at:

greenhousejp[at[gmail.com 617.512.8350

Today I had the privilege of having a birds-eye-view of my neighbor (I’ll refer to him as Josh to protect his anonymity) roofing his own house. Josh purchased his home a couple years ago in less than perfect condition and has gone on to prove that this can often be a great way to enter an otherwise expensive market. Obviously one must be armed with a first hand knowledge of carpentry and home improvement or enough money to pay someone else – which as many of us know can sometimes end up worse than if we had just done it ourselves.

Josh perches precariously on a ladder

Josh has been slowly turning an ugly duckling into a bonafide gem. His latest effort is ambitious – a new roof. Keep in mind that our homes (they were probably built by the same builder and are certainly the same vintage) are roughly 135 years old. Pretty much every job is like a box of Cracker Jacks. There’s a surprise in there somewhere… and this project was no exception. I was able to stick my head out my kitchen window and monitor progress which I’m sure Josh appreciated immensely. I tried to lighten the dreariness of the day the best way I knew how – by being a Wisenheimer. At first I thought Josh was telling me I was “#1″ but quickly realized he was destined for victory [over the roof].

Josh & George install scaffolding

Josh was being helped today by his friends Bill & Ted. (Their names have also been changed to protect their anonymity.) Here they are installing scaffolding so they don’t fall off the roof as they remove the old shingles. I’m only mildly scared of heights, but this was making me quite nervous. Actually, I’m not nearly as scared of heights as I am of falling to my death – so it’s really all about security for me. Clearly Josh, Bill & Ted do not share this fear.

Josh harnesses to the chimney

There was some level of safety exercised however. Josh lashed the fellas to the 135 year old chimney with climbing gear. I thought this was a great idea and it made me feel much better until I remembered the old Warner Bros cartoons where Wiley Coyote would similarly lash himself to a tree or a rock outcropping only to fall to the canyon floor followed by the large, heavy object to make two successive poofs of dust, one for Wiley and the other, slightly larger poof for the very heavy object that usually pushed him 10 ft or so into the Earth’s crust. Seriously though, who doesn’t get an audible chuckle from the image of Wiley Coyote walking away, disgruntled, with his mid-section bobbing like an accordion? Anyway, Ted is beginning the process of prying off the old shingles and removing the nails. This is a filthy, hard job and it makes a BIG mess.

Josh, Bill & Ted start making progress as the rain starts

The guys really got down to business peeling off the shingles. This is when Josh found the surprise in the Cracker Jacks. Much of the roof sheating and fascia was practically dust on the top side. He had previously checked the condition from the attic and it looked great – but the top side wouldn’t likely hold nails any longer. He’s also planning on rebuilding a lot of the Mansard hip (the steeply sloped sides). As you can see, Josh’s job just got a lot bigger, and a lot more expensive. His house is getting an entirely new roof.

Josh inspects his 135 year old roof sheating

Josh is inspecting his antique roof sheating. Look closely at the veins in his forehead as he comes to terms with the fact that he is now going to have to hoist large sheets of plywood up onto his roof. Don’t forget he has to pry all this old wood off first which will leave the inside of his house open to the elements until he can seal it back up. Thankfully, his tenant lives on the second floor.

Josh & Bill brave the Tempest

Suddenly, without warning (except for the weather report) the rain really started coming down. Who would have thought – two surprises in one box of Cracker Jacks! Luckily I had a huge tarp to add to Josh’s collection and the guys frantically started to cover up the house. This was no easy job. Check out the driving rain and the look of grit determination on Bill’s face. They got it covered up in short time and now it looks like some of the houses from back home in the Ozark Mountains.

A hairnet for the house

The only problem with the tarps is that they are like big sails up there on the roof. They all have to be tacked down with furring strips. The surface was then so slippery that they had to tack in strips of wood like a ladder to climb up and down. It’s like a big residential rubber.

Bill & Ted clean up the mess

This kind of job makes a nasty mess. The little grit from the old shingles gets everywhere and the material is heavy and cumbersome. It would be interesting if someone could come up with use for all the old shingles in the world.

More on this adventure as it unfolds.

Hey dudes and dudettes – I’ve been a subscriber to Dwell Magazine for sevaral years. Recently I signed up as a user on Dwell Connect. It’s actually a really great resource for all things modern. There are forums for almost everything related to the home and the modern market. I’m especially interested in the discussions about renovations, construction, green building practices, etc. There’s also this really cool feature called simply, “People Map“. You just drop in all your specifications like, role, region, state, reason for joining, interests, etc. and it will hook you up with people you would like to talk to or hire or whatever. It’s a really neat tool for connecting people. Just FYI

Connect to all your mordernist peeps

Charming Colonial Facade

Okay, I know, it’s kind of cheating to make the “Home Of The Week” a property that I, in fact, am representing. Seriously look at this property and tell me I’m wrong! This home is perfect. The owners, Alison and Andy (isn’t that cute) are two Brits with great taste. They bought this home as a fairly standard Garrison Colonial and transformed it. Over a period of about 3-4 years they poured their hearts and souls into impeccable design and space planning. They added an 18′x19′ addition that spans three levels if you include the basement. They never have gotten around to finishing off the basement space yet, but it would make a wonderful media room or studio. All three levels keep their continuity via an attractive modern spiral staircase. They didn’t skimp either, normally this 230lb, 6’2″ Realtor isn’t fond of spirals, but this one gives me no trouble at all.

Double shower/steam room

The original part of the house had a very good layout and would have been considered quite adequet by most. However, the new addition adds spacious flexibility, allowing for formal and casual areas of the home. (Or just lost of casual space.) The kitchen is the heart of this home, located dead-center on the 1st floor. All rooms radiate out from it making a great space for entertaining. By climbing the front stairs you access a spacious landing, a full bath and all the bedrooms. One could use this home as a four bedroom, but greedy me – I’d make it a three bedroom with a monster master bedroom suite. Wait until you see the master bath! It has a double shower/steam room, air jetted tub, double sinks, skylights, exquisite tile, etc. I could go on and on. Incidentlely, this is probably a good time to mention that all of the light fixtures are from either Wolfers (my favorite!) or Restoration Hardware. Configured this way there’s a really nice sitting room between the master bed and bath. Personaly, I’d put a little flat screen in there, hide a mini-bar somewhere, and lock the doors. I’m not going to go on and on about this house. You can check out the virtual tour here or better yet, call or write me for an appointment. You will find a complete list of improvements dating back to 2005 in PDF format on my website.

Write in and guess the sale price! I’ll post it up when it closes.