I love older homes.  The fine details and interesting stories of the people who lived there draw me in.

Built in 1928, the house in San Jose’s historic Shasta Hanchett neighborhood 1322 Martin Avenue is a beauty.  This two story 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath has a nice mix of a historic home with modern conveniences. I was struck immediately by the welcoming living room.  The original fireplace was flanked by two beautiful windows, while the front of the home had gorgeous floor length bay windows allowing a lot of light. The room made me want to close the french doors, curl right up on the wing chair with a magazine and kick up my feet.

The bedrooms were good sized, with surprisingly large closets considering the age of the home.  The kitchen has been remodeled recently and has a sun filled breakfast nook.  Here is where I really appreciate modern conveniences – a large fridge, double ovens and industrial gas stoves make all the difference.  The downstairs bathroom had been carefully restored. It was stunning and meticulous.  Check out this custom made tile.

As I walked through the house, I  thought these formal rooms
are beautiful, but where does everyone REALLY spend their time and let it all loose?  Then I stumbled upon the "party room".  As you may know I have been struggling with my own garage remodel, so this spot gave me a few ideas.  Attached to this home’s garage is a 350 sq foot great room complete with a fireplace.  The realtor, Karen Smith, told me that the owners used it for hosting all sorts of parties, including Thanksgiving.  The room opened up into a lush backyard and gazebo.  I could easily imagine the parties that must have happened there – the kind with lights strung up, soft music playing and fantastic dancing in this "Dance Hall".   The possibilities are endless. The great neighborhood, attention paid to little details and open entertaining space makes this home one of my favorites this weekend. I think I am in love!

Photos Courtesy of Karen Smith, Coldwell Banker.
If you want to see more of this home visit their virtual tour here.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 4th, 2008 at 10:15 am and is filed under Mediterranean Style, Shasta Hanchett, Sheila, Sheila's Mud Room, The Mud Room, Weekend Voyeur. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.