With each and every home we sell, we consider the story of the people who lived there before and those who will write the next chapters. Everyone’s story is different, whether “home” is a safe place to land and retreat, or an energizing place to create and explore. When we first pulled up to Kathy and Andrew’s home in Hampton Township, it felt like stepping into a storybook. They have perfectly balanced the art of preserving the character and charm of the home while still creating beautiful memories of their own.
As they come to the end of the chapter they’ve written over the 30 years of stewardship on Middle Road, we are excited to help tell the home’s story.
The History of the Home at 2611 Middle Road
Here are a few of the questions we asked the owners to help you get a better feel for this extraordinary home:
In what year did you move in?
October 1987. We moved in with our 6-week old. I remember driving up Middle Road with her in the car seat, fall leaves on the trees, and being so happy.
What did it look like when you first moved in? How was it different?
The house is bigger, but otherwise things look very much as they did 34 years ago. We had the immediate impression of a secluded, wooded park with a variety of trees and a yard that had different “sections” with natural divisions among them. The house itself didn’t have the porch then (just a rear stoop) and no second floor beyond an attic with dormers. It was painted white with forest green trim. In the living room and den, there was wall-to-wall wool carpet, the windows had sheers and valances, and the bathroom on the main floor was definitely vintage. But it had all of that light and we just felt our blood pressure go down when we were home.
In what years was the house renovated?
1994 and 1999. In both, we had a great contractor (Aspen Valley Contracting). We had an architect with each, too—John Cullen being the architect who did all of the work on the main floor and porch.
In 1994, we added a bedroom and two baths (that required raising the ceiling in the back) and expanded the second bedroom on that floor.
In 1999 we renovated the main floor including expanding the kitchen, adding the covered porch and hardwood throughout, and adding air conditioning.
Of course we’ve also re-roofed the house and the garage over the years.
Tell us about the architectural decisions downstairs. The kitchen, for example, has beautiful natural light, and the library alcove is such a cute idea!
We had a terrific architect and contractor work on the main floor—and they made sure that the design fit with the house and the property. They pulled in skilled crafts people who created the cove ceiling in the kitchen, installed the wood windows in the kitchen, the bookcases, and wood trim everywhere, the granite countertops and granite on top of all the radiators—including a place you’ll notice when you walk in the kitchen. Every kid we know loves to lay on that piece of granite in the winter because it’s so perfectly warm. A company specializing in fireplaces installed the fireplace, including the tile and wood surround (Andrew’s dad designed that and he built the cherry plate/glass holder in the kitchen). They also installed hardwood floors, including oak and mahogany in the kitchen and mahogany on the porch.
The living room’s alcove was there when we bought the house. It's one of our favorite places because of the window seat (another one of those granite-covered radiators) and hip-level bookcases. We’ve used it as a reading area, with nice chairs and lamps there, and it’s always great when we have a lot of people over because people can sit on the window seat. Lately, we’ve had the dining table there as a place away from the kitchen to have dinner with friends—and we’ve had big Thanksgiving dinners where we set up tables in several rooms, including the alcove.
If we can take any credit for design decisions, it’s choosing those low-level bookcases (we imagined kids pulling out books and laying on the carpet to read, which came true); hanging lights in those cut-out openings between the living room and alcove; and no upper cabinets in the kitchen.
Tell us about the architect you used to design the downstairs? How did you meet, and what was the process of working together like?
Mike Kelly (Aspen Valley Contracting) recommended John Cullen. As soon as we met him, we knew he was a professional with an aesthetic that we loved. He usually works on much larger jobs, but he loved Arts and Crafts homes and knew the details that would help restore the house closer to its original form. He would listen, but he was also strong and clear in what he was recommending.
Working with John was an absolute pleasure because he was committed to embracing the craftsman style while ensuring the utmost in space, functionality, and comfort. He had to figure out how to transform an L-shaped kitchen/random closet/bathroom with tub to what you see now; make room for the A/C and utilities; and make a porch that would take advantage of the view of the valley. He guided us through decisions on color for the exterior stains and paint. And, of course, he designed the bookcases, the crown moldings, the cove ceiling in the kitchen, the porch design and trim, and the beautiful new floors.
When people walk into the house, they often say, “This is a work of art!” We have nice friends, but we do think the house really is beautiful.
Tell us about the design decisions upstairs. Obviously, you had some challenges when it came to the roof and the way it shapes the ceiling, but it also looks like there was an emphasis on white—paint, trim, appliances, etc.
Our aims for the upstairs were focused on creating more living space for our growing family. We knew we had this untapped attic in the back—and that it probably had nice views. When the contractors opened it up and we saw across the valley and all of those trees, we were kind of stunned. It was just so beautiful. It turns out that our house is at the point of highest elevation in the county.
Practically speaking, we wanted to raise the roof in the back without changing the view of the house from the street to maintain the bungalow character.
We chose white throughout and uniform carpeting to create a harmonious flow—although we decided to paint the office area a different color a couple of years ago.
How did you use the finished apartment space above the garage?
The apartment has been a godsend. When we first bought the property, the apartment was rented and we had a fine tenant. Once they moved on, we “rented” to friends or family who needed a place to stay between houses. Kathy used it as a home office for several years (that was great—our kids were in middle/high school then, so they could be at the house and she could be just across the driveway). We’ve also used it for guests (yes, mother-in-law, but also friends from out of town). It has a kitchen, two rooms, a small bath, and a porch with a view.
Personal Memories Inside 2611 Middle Road
On a more personal note, how did you and your family use the space? How many people lived there at its max, and did you have any sort of traditions together?
We’re a family of four who bought the house because we wanted a place for our kids to be able to run and explore and climb trees and have adventures—and for us to be able to have family and friends feel comfortable, relaxed, and able to stay over when they wanted to.
That’s really what happened for us. Our grown kids love the outdoors, their cousins and friends have great memories of picnics and holiday parties, and we were able to have loved ones who’ve stayed with us comfortably for weeks. It’s been a treasure for us and, we hear, for so many others.
We’ve had family reunions here where everyone had a place to sleep, Labor Day picnics and high school graduation parties with big tents in the yard, and dinners for 30+ people inside for holidays. It’s such a family-oriented place to live.
Tell us about some of your favorite memories inside the house.
It varies from room to room!
In the kitchen: Board games and dinners with our kids at the table. And, as they grew, hearing them with their friends, joking and making food together.
In the den: Kids practicing their instruments and laying on their bellies to read books. Looking out the front window to see them on the porch swing and the side window to see the rhododendrons.
In the living room: Winter evenings—sitting on the couch with the fireplace on, our feet up on the old coffee table, and talking. Dancing. Putting on plays. Friends and snacks and laughing a lot.
Main bedroom: The quiet at night and the singing birds in the morning. The view of the valley. Looking out over the yard.
Front bedroom: The light in the morning, feeling like you are sleeping in a cottage, sitting at the window seat (another thing Andrew’s dad made).
In the basement: Putting together the flowers for our daughter’s wedding and having our son’s frisbee team decide they all want to sleep downstairs. A bit of exercising, more television-watching.
There’s a nice yard attached to this property! Did you spend much time outside? If so, what did you like to do with the space?
Sitting on the porch in the morning and listening to the birds singing in the trees—that’s been one of the very nicest parts of living here. We often said, “We live in our own park.” Our friends loved the porch, too—and some of our best memories are of sitting there at dusk and just talking...and during parties, kids and adults sitting on the steps going up to the porch or on the wall near the driveway.
The yard is truly one of the treasures of the place. We have hosted very large groups over the years (think 100 people). Everyone is able to spread out to all the different areas with space left over for frisbee and volleyball and bocce ball. The grape arbor separates the “upper” yard (which the prior owners used for a huge garden) and “lower” yard. That and the trees and the barn help it feel expansive without seeming like an open field.
Our kids would sled ride and cross country ski in the yard, they’d climb the apple tree, and they turned the barn into their clubhouse.
Your property flanks Middle Road. How much street noise (from traffic) comes into the house and bedrooms?
We get only modest street noise in the house, primarily because the traffic in either direction is not going very fast near our property because of the stop sign at Elfinwild and Middle Roads, but also because we put in a row of evergreens at the front of our property. The bedrooms get almost none of the traffic noise. The house, with its 1918 construction using concrete, lath, and real plaster, is very quiet. (You can be sitting in the living room and not hear what people are saying in the kitchen, for example.) The one place where you will hear noise is if you are sitting on the front porch swing. Traffic sounds don’t reach the back porch. We also have great neighbors who are really nice, will help with anything, and don’t play music loudly or create any drama.
What’s your favorite thing/feature about this house? What do you expect future homeowners to appreciate most?
If the new owners are like us at all, they will appreciate the amount of living space and how it resonates with the bungalow aesthetic. People especially love our kitchen, a natural gathering place, with its open, eat-in design, cherry and mahogany woodwork, and roominess enhanced by the walls uncluttered by upper cabinets. And the front of the house, with its beautiful bookcases, and oak-encased and granite covered radiators, is a delightful place to host guests or spend quiet time with a book. But as much as we love the inside of the house, being outside is an equal pleasure, enhanced by a true back porch that acts as an extension of the house, another room, in the outdoor seasons.
Explore This Home For Yourself
Truly, this is a special place, and it’s an honor to help Kathy & Andrew market the home as they look for the right buyer to appreciate the stories here as they write their own for years to come.
If you’d like to learn more about this home for sale in Hampton Township, contact us. Send us an email at theblocks@blocksintheburgh.com. We’d love to tell you more!
Cheers,
Julie and Ted