On the Market: A “Painted Lady” Victorian in Jamaica Plain
Past owners preserved the stained glass windows and gorgeous ceiling medallions.
133 Paul Gore St., Boston
Price: $1,050,000
Size: 1,928 square feet
Bedrooms: 4
Baths: 2.5
Have a hankering to live in historical house? Here’s hoping the former owners knew what they were doing so the ghosts of bad renovations past don’t sneak up on you.
Rest assured that this 1895 “painted lady”—a nickname given to the Victorian beauties throughout the country that found a refresh thanks to colorful coats of paint that highlight their artful architectures—was lovingly restored and cared for over the years. One of the former owners was John Rowse, the master architect, designer, and carpenter who founded Boston Building Resources. The four-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath manor hasn’t changed hands since 1978, and Rose and other former owners honed in on the house’s history. Among the wealth of restorations and original details, you’ll find stained glass windows, classic pocket doors in the living room, turned stair balusters, and medallions crowning the ceilings.
Past the charming wraparound porch where you’ll want to greet spring mornings with a cup of coffee, the home unfolds over three sunlit levels. Tall, ornately trimmed windows wash the historic floors of the living and dining rooms with light. A petite sunny nook with recently restored double-hung windows just off the dining room offers a bright spot for an indoor greenhouse to grow herbs for culinary creations you’ll whip up on the vintage Magic Chef stove in the kitchen. Heads up, bakers: The kitchen also features a separate wall oven to bake cakes and other confections, which you can savor on the brick patio and back garden in the shade of the trees.
Up the staircase—and pause for a moment to take in that masterpiece of a banister—the second floor features two bedrooms with walk-in closets and a third bedroom that boasts a bay window. Still, among all this history, there’s a place to make your mark. A bedroom and bath round out the top floor, along with a nearly 500 square-foot open space that’s illuminated by skylights and a wall of windows. The penthouse-level of this painted lady is awaiting her new future as your stunning, sun-soaked main suite.
For information, contact Melony Swasey of the Good Boston Living Team, Unlimited Sotheby’s Realty, unlimitedsir.com.
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