Back to School House Tour

As Julia says, "Who doesn't love a good house tour?" Well I certainly do, so I'm all in on the latest Hooked on House Tours party she's graciously hosting.

So let's get on with it!

I mentioned the Lambertville (NJ) house tour I went on this past weekend, and I was drawn like a moth to a flame to a schoolhouse built in 1878 that's now home to two sisters and their impressive collection of antiques and curiosities.

"The building is of brick construction with stucco overlay added later. On the exterior a marble sate stone commemorates the opening of the school in 1878. The building was originally topped with a square cupola with a cross gable roof and arched openings on all sides."

Let's step behind the gate, shall we?

The "school grounds" are now lovely gardens and courtyards:

They've created a festive fall arrangement on the steps that have seen the bottoms of many children's feet over the years. (It served as a school until 1961.)

"The school is essentially the same as it was 130 years ago, designed in the Tuscany revival style which Victorians found so fashionable in the mid- to late-19th century. Today as you come through the gate you feel you have entered another world - the courtyard of a European manor house, with old stone walls, brick paving and potted plants. In summer it is overflowing with geraniums and flowering vines."

The new(er) main entrance is just to the right, and when you enter you're greeted by, "the dramatic space." I'll say! It's not every day you look up to see 10 foot tall antique organ pipes and Greek Orthodox sanctuary doors in someone's home.

Here's a view from the landing just behind the pipes (looking down onto the front door)...

On the main floor (to the left and right of the bottom of those stairs) are two incredibly impressive spaces -- the main living room, and a studio space. You have to remember this was a school, and the rooms (formerly classrooms) have amazingly not been divided in any way. There are four classrooms total, measuring 36' by 18' with 12' high ceilings and huge windows. Here's the living room:

"The living room's size is at first astonishing. (Ed. note: Hello. That fireplace is the size of, like, my master bedroom.) The floors throughout the house are dark stained and highly polished, laid on the diagonal as was usual in schools of the period. Large stained glass windows act as curtains and dominate the room. You can just imagine this room transformed into an elegant ballroom with champagne at one end and chairs lining the walls."

The room opposite the living room is a mirror image, and used as a studio/restoration space (the sisters are retired antique dealers). Just outside the studio is a charming solarium that has "throw a party in here" written all over it. This photo is only about one-third of the space:

Head up that grand central staircase, and you'll wind up in the kitchen:

"The Principal's office on the next landing now serves as the dining room, open to the staircase with Palladian windows on three sides. The French Victorian armoire provides ample space for the China collection...One can only speculate what went on in this room but it makes for interesting dinner conversation."

The two upper classrooms are now bedrooms, each with a large (re: ginormous) seating area. Here's one of the bedrooms:

(To be honest, if it were my domain I'd have to pop out those tile ceilings post haste!)

The bedroom across the hall, "is dramatic. Wherever you look there are interesting collections to entertain the mind's eye." (Re: Eyes may pop out of your head. I think one of my companion's actually may have.) My photo doesn't do it justice, but throw in floor to ceiling bookshelves and knick-knacks-a-plenty and you get the picture:

The one full bath is half a flight up from the bedrooms, and is big enough to house a full chaise. The main floor's half bath (way big enough to pop in a tub) had this way cool window treatment -- a flat piece of wood given a bit of a trompe l'oeil treatment:

Not too shabby, huh? Well, here's the deal: This gem is on the market. And that's where the contest comes in...

What's the asking price?

Two large rooms on the main floor, two large bedrooms on the top. (All are 36' x 18'). Solarium, one-and-a-half baths, kitchen and dining room. An unfinished attic that I didn't see. And it's certainly a unique property, also zoned for commercial use.

Leave your best guess as to what the asking price is and the closest price without going over wins. In the event that there is more than one person with the same guess of the house's price, names will be entered in a hat (literally...'cause I've got a lot!) and a random winner will be drawn. The prize? This fabulous scarf from Elite Elishe's Etsy store.

Elite Elishe was a supporter of the Nie Nie Fund, so I was happy to support the cause and the store (by going back to shop for more!). But I only have one neck (phew!) and many scarves, so guess away and this brand new handmade scarf may be yours! I'll keep comments open until noon Eastern on October 29. Cheaters will be wished away to the cornfields. ;-)

Thanks for taking my tour! Head back over to Hooked on Houses for more great tours.