these houses are all in the neighborhood (which, at one time, was its own town) just west of ours. our neighborhood was developed on land once part of the town, so we get the semi-annual newsletter in our mailbox inviting us to fishing clinics and pool membership (which do not make use of the same body of water).
i won't profess to know much about the neighborhood's history, but Hamilton Lakes sprung up in the 1920's (after Irving Park, which was developed about ten years prior) ~ both on the design of an A.M. Scales, a lawyer & developer who built his own house on a peninsula of Lake Hamilton & became the first mayor of the town of Hamilton Lakes. Scales' company failed just prior to the great depression and fell under the control of the Sternberger/Benjamin families...thus the name of our neighborhood, Starmount.
the neighborhood is beautiful, with wooded trails and lakes, winding streets, and a lovely variety of architectural styles. we were tickled to get a peek at a few of the gems ~
first, we stopped at the Harry Barton House. i've been thinking, since the tour, about what was so enchanting for me about this house. it is not the history, although it is significant for our town ~ Barton designed many of the buildings at UNCG, as well as our older downtown courthouse & many other buildings around town. honestly, i think it was the current owners' incredible art collection more than the house, for me. (although i was keen on the gorgeous tile roof, arches, and twisted columns.) the quantity of art bordered on excessive, but stayed just on this side of it. probably because the quality was undeniable. exquisite sculptures and paintings in rooms that were equally so but, also, arranged for living in. furniture that you could imagine actually using...and rooms that were in true human proportion. (this particular quality only occurred to me later on in the tour, and i think you will see why.) by the way, only exteriors could be photographed (understandably) ~ so you will simply have to take my word for the contents.
the Barton House sits on Lake Euphemia, and now i know which house has the curved, white balustrade at the water's edge. there's a spot for a small boat to tie up, although i don't think there's really too far to go. the lakes connect only via a system of stone dams, one cascading into the next until it narrows, i believe, into a creek. but it's quite a 'back porch' view.
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| stone wall just behind the lake-front patio |
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| these will figure in a later photo |
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| view of home's lakeside |
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| overflowing peonies on glass table |
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| directionality. just in case you need to know which way the wind's blowing. |
my favorite of their outdoor sculptures
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| street view |
the next house we went to was refreshingly....normal. well, if you consider altering (or maybe a better term is 'art-ing') every.single.item in your house normal. multi-colored walls, painted couches, lace&bead lamp stands, iridescent kitchen counters, industrial plumbing utilized to hold up pretty much everything. you know, that kind of normal. again, no photos allowed inside...but here's the fish pond!
p.s. the art-maker has a website, and her work is gorgeous. check it out here.
i had been eager to see the next house ever since reading about its rehabilitation in the spring issue of a local magazine. & it lived up to the hype! the house was built for the Howard family (who were in the construction business & did the actual building of the house), so it's called the Howard House...but, honestly, i think houses maybe should be named after the architect. in which case, it might be known as the Hayes House. in any case, Tommy Hayes (the architect) graduated from the School of Design at NCSU back in 1951 & designed this house for his old fraternity buddy Will Howard in 1955. here's a link to Preservation Greensboro's summary of the house (and all the other houses in this post). here's a link to the group who did the re-design (based on the original house plans, tracked down by the current owners).
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| O R A N G E |
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| the little water feature is actually an infinity pool, so there are quiet ripples but no obvious source |
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| gingko trees, lots of light, & excellent chain-link downspouts |
so, the next house does have some historical significance (when A.M. Scales went bankrupt & lost possession of the humongo mansion nearby, his family had to move in with his brother's family, who lived in this house)....but i think it was primarily on the tour because it has been for sale nearly two years (if i followed the e-trail correctly). so, if you're looking for a solid century-old brick house with a nifty mid-century neighbor, check it out.
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| 'Tar Haven' with mid-century 'Casita' next door |
which leads us to the Scales Mansion. yep, i'd say this is a Mansion ~ at least for our city. hm. what to say? it has lovely grounds, being on a peninsula of sorts into Lake Hamilton. lots of waterfront. really pretty painted wallpaper in the foyer that depicts all the continents in a very romantic way (think pagodas and pyramids and grecian urns). but....it felt like a case of....unnecessary excess. i suppose that's the point.
so...favorites?
the art at the Barton House and at Dori's house.
the design at the mid-century Hayes/Howard House.
what was on the bookshelves.
the who, what, where of family pictures.
someone else's treasure altars.
someone else's life.
sincerely,
Peeping Jane
