On the Market: An Arts and Crafts-Style Medford Bungalow

Photo by Atlantic Visuals

102 Taft St., Medford
Price: $579,000
Size: 1,586 square feet
Bedrooms: 2
Baths: 1.5

Chances are you’ve tackled some arts and crafts projects this quarantine, maybe some coloring books and masterpieces of Popsicle sticks and glue with the kids. How about going all-in with a home that was essentially one big craft project?

Built in 1935, this charming Medford bungalow is a masterpiece of the arts and crafts movement, which focused on handcrafted artistry and approachable architecture. Not to mention American craftiness: From the early 1900s to 1939, Sears, Roebuck & Co. sold hundreds of types of pre-fabricated kit homes through their mail-order catalogue. Future homeowners could flip through hundreds of different homes—from Capes to the southern manor-like “Magnolia”—and choose their house’s frills and finishes. All in, the company sold around 75,000 of these homes and then would ship the kits, complete with plumbing parts and hundreds of pounds of nails, via railroad. Maybe that jigsaw puzzle you haven’t finished yet is looking pretty easy compared to cracking open a 250-ton kit to build your own house.

While there’s currently no assembly required, what you absolutely must do is enjoy easy mornings on the new screened-in porch and look out over the yard and massive perennial garden. Inside, the home boasts original hardwood floors with bits of brick detailing. The sleek kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances sets a bright stage for breakfasts at the island, with the crisp palette playing off of the sunlight flooding in from the windows. Unhurried family dinners in the adjoining dining room, meanwhile, offer chances to savor the artful views of the porch and yard. Other gathering spots include the sunny living room and the foyer, currently a snug library for a literary lead into the home.

After a day exploring the nearby Middlesex Fells, head up to the two second-floor bedrooms, including the main bedroom with its walk-in closet. Plus, if the crafty past of the home has you inspired, the finished basement is awaiting a new life as your art studio.

For information, contact Ramsay Fretz, Ramsay and Company at Leading Edge Real Estate, ramsayfretz.realscout.com.

Photo by Atlantic Visuals

Photo by Atlantic Visuals

Photo by Atlantic Visuals

Photo by Atlantic Visuals

Photo by Atlantic Visuals

Photo by Atlantic Visuals

Photo by Atlantic Visuals

Photo by Atlantic Visuals

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