Growing up on the east coast, Tom and Carol O’Brien loved the charms of traditional old homes. So after years of living around the South Bay, the couple found exactly what they wanted — a 1940 Cape Cod.
In the heart of San Jose’s Rose Garden neighborhood, the house also brought them closer to two of their grandchildren who live nearby and attend St. Martin of Tours school. With shingles, bay windows, plus an enclosed porch on the back, the house just felt like home.
The home was built by the Gallagher family, who owned Gallagher Fruit Co. when the area was known as the “Valley of Heart’s Delight.” One of Carol’s favorite pieces is a tile serving tray she keeps in the kitchen that shows the Gallagher’s pear packing label with their company name on it — a gift from her daughter-in-law, Rita.When the couple bought the house in 1999, the previous owners had already enclosed the back porch in the 1980s. The side brick wall includes a unique circular window.
“Our granddaughter Julia used to call it the cold room,” Carol said, before they added heat, a new slate floor and skylights. “Now, it’s the sun room.”
It has become a favorite game room for all three of their grandchildren and a place for Tom to read since retiring as vice president of Argo Systems.With the help of their designer Dawn Williams, and work done by DeMattei Construction, the couple remodeled their kitchen, adding just 35 square feet but giving the space a complete facelift.
They have maintained the vintage charm of an upstairs bathroom whose original pink and salmon-colored tile still look good today. The O’Briens were happy to open their home in mid-October to the Rose Garden Homes Tour, benefitting St. Martin of Tours School. Citti’s Florist in San Jose provided the flower arrangements.
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