1638

This home was one of the first on the block in the Mount Pleasant subdivision and is the second oldest home on the tour. It was built for Henry Sandell at a cost of $3500. The architect was E. Hill Turnock and the date of construction was April 20, 1901. Its situation on the site may indicate that there was no agreed upon set back from the street when it was built.

The façade of the home has a clipped gable that is sometimes found on German cottages and Chicago Bungalows. The exterior of the home is narrow board siding on the front, which is original. The entrance to the home is on the east side and most of the façade is taken up by a large enclosed sunroom, which may have originally been an open porch or may have been added on later. The railings and details on the façade are replacements and the deck above the sunroom is also new. This home has undergone a restoration and remodeling which is in keeping with the original design.

Above the front door is the original transom, which lets light into the entrance hall. This has been designed as a place for coats with a band of hooks and a shelf around the area. The next door, a five-panel door, opens into a reception hall. There is a beautiful built-in pine bench and, above it, a window with original diamond patterned windows. With your back to the bench, you are facing the staircase with original handrail and steps.

The living room is towards the front of the house. Each doorway has original woodwork with crown moldings. The fireplace is original and the mirrored mantel is a salvaged piece common in Chicago homes of the same era as this house. The flooring is oak and, from the inside, the sunroom appears to be original with original windows and baseboards. There is no way to determine whether the sunroom was added; however, there is no basement under it, which would indicate that it was either built as a porch or added later. The windows of the sunroom bring a lot of light into the living room space.

The format of the rooms on the first floor has been altered by the developer to accommodate a modern lifestyle. Off the entrance hall there is a guest bathroom. Though some walls have been removed, the original pocket door from the hallway to the dining room has been kept in place – a beautiful old pine door.

From the dining area you can view the updated kitchen, which has openings to the dining area and to the large family room. The cabinets are cherry. This area has oak floors, but a patterned inlay of ebony wood has been used around the edge to define the space of the family room. The large vintage-looking windows in the room are in keeping with the design of the rest of the house. The room opens onto a deck and the backyard.

The staircase to the second floor features a beautiful landing with original diamond patterned windows matching those around the bench in the entrance hall. This detail indicates this was a custom home, since it is not typical in the area. The staircase opens onto a hallway on the second floor. The large room at the front of the home may have originally been two rooms. The ceiling has been opened to the rafters to create a large open space. Since this is a child’s room, the open deck has been closed off and the steps to it have become shelving for toys. The second bedroom is right at the top of the stairs. Along the hallway is also the family bathroom.

The addition on the back of the house was done to create the family room below and the master suite above, which is as wide as the house. This suite also includes a walk-in closet and modern master bath. A Juliet balcony and smaller windows, which are not in keeping with the original house, provide natural light into the room, whose ceiling also has been opened to the rafters. The hardwood floors and wide baseboard throughout the second floor are new and reflect the character of the first floor.