821 White Ash (Walker-Masters Residence, Work in Progress)

Situated on a hill just off White Ash Street, house number 821 looks just as ordinary as any other home on the block.

But for its occupants, it's perfect.

Visitors pull into a circular drive, landscaped with a small rock garden in the half moon of yard between the drive and the street. The house is constructed of reddish-pink brick. Large picture windows seem numerous on the front of the house. The dormers of the attic have large, circular windows.

The right side of the half-moon driveway has an offshoot leading to a three car garage just beyond the north east corner of the house.
Two steps lead up to a wide porch that extends the length of the front of the house. Currently almost empty, the only occupant of the porch is a white mailbox.

The front door is a large, plain, heavy oaken door with a brass knocker in the center, and matching knobs. To either side of the front door are foot-wide glass panes, etched with flowers and ornate swirls, but covered by lacy white curtains.

Entrance into the foyer gives pause; cream colored walls flow down onto the solid maple floors. An intricate Oriental rug covers a portion of the foyer a few steps beyond the entrance. Directly ahead, eyes are drawn to a magnificent, curving staircase that starts just a few feet to the right, and curves up to the left to an open hallway. Overhead, the ceiling rises to the second level where a large circular chandelier dangles. Even in the evening light, it sparkles.

To the left of the entrance, one finds an almost-cliche round umbrella holder with a plastic tray used for storing winter weather shoes. Beyond that...

The sitting room opens beneath an intricately-molded archway. Stepping into the room, one sees three seperate seating areas. Before the fire place are two plush chairs in a soft pale gray, with a small round table between then and a hearthrug on the wood floor before them. To the left of the fire place and using the window seat as a focal point is a grouping of a low-backed couch, and two more of the plush arm chairs; this set colored burgandy and the couch the same light gray with accent pillows. There is a sofa table along the back of the couch and a small round end table between each of the chairs and the couch along with an oblong coffee table in the center of the area. During Christmas time, these pieces can be moved to the walls so that a large tree can be made prominent before the picture window.

To the right of the fire place is another intimate seating area. Four plush armchairs, also in grays and burgundies, sit in a circle around an hexagonal coffee table. There are small tables to the side of each chair and this space begs for one to select a book from one of the shelves lining the walls behind and curl up there for hours. Lighting for the room is provided by directional lighting mounted discreetly in the ceiling and operated by a series of sliding switches on the entrance wall, as well as the large picture window and small lamps in the reading area. The mantle holds a large rectangular mirror, without frames or any visible means of mounting, giving the illusion that is simply floats off the wall. Two large vases full of seasonal flowers, and a small collection of crystal dragons line the edges. Throughout the room scented candles can be found; at this time there is a final winter scent - Gingerbread - and two spring scents - Juniper and Frosty Tulip.

Further down the hall a doorknob barely juts out from a recessed doorframe. Opening the innocuous door leads into a well appointed computer room and secondary office. Bookshelves line the entire near and the lower half of the far angled walls, adjacent to two desks on the left and one table on the right wall. The left wall includes two computers and a printer. Supply shelves overhead carry paper, books, binders; everything needed materially to work in an office. The opposite wall and its wide drafting table have no computers whatsoever; just a desk blotter with a calendar turned to the correct page (with birthdays and events noted upon it), a cup of pens, assorted drafting paraphernalia and a tall standing lamp with swing-arm. A table in the right corner holds a telephone and fax machine. Each of the computers is a high-end Dell Office PC with a large flat panel monitor and is connected by the house's fiber Internet.

The far angled wall with the half-bookshelves has a door close to the far right side. Opening it, one realizes the wall above the bookshelves is really a series of blinds and shutters, which lead into a very open sun room. The entire wall is comprised of paneless windows, starting just a foot from the floor, and extends to the rear wall of the house. Italian mosaic tile in blues greens and whites cover the floor. Several lounge chairs and a small table occupy the far end. Standing at the far end, one sees a recessed, tinted glass door in the wall which would lead into the kitchen. Drinks and such - or even visitors or meal seekers - could pass through.

The kitchen has marble counter tops with state of the art hook ups. Stainless steel appliances (including stove, oven, refrigerator, dishwasher) stand imposingly in their respective places. The matching stainless steel microwave hangs from the lower side of a cabinet. A marble-topped island holds a small vegetable sink, cooling bin, and assorted storage drawers. A couple tall stools rest inside a cubby at one side. Just overhead, pots and pans dangle in a professionally accessible manner. A small breakfast nook nestled in a bay window, bulges out into the back yard somewhat. Seats just below the windows surround a half-circle table. Opposite the breakfast nook, next to the frosted glass door, is another door that leads into a small storage pantry. A frame in one corner could have been the beginnings of a dumb waiter system but was never completed. The shelves are lined with cans, boxes, and bags of assorted foods. From the kitchen you could access the door to the foyer - this one frosted glass with a wooden frame - or the formal dining room.

A pair of low walls beneath a curved arch is all that seperates the dining room from the kitchen. The dining room is a long rectangular room, with a side bar and buffet built into the walls. This room has three entrances; the hall, kitchen and formal living room. Part of the far wall was festooned with a floor-to-ceiling china rack. Fashioned of the same dark wood that pervaded the rest of the house, one could almost miss a small handle, barely visible through glass-covered doors. (Decoration and furnishing forthcoming.)

Unlatching this handle causes part of the rack to swing open, revealing another room. Rather sparse, for a bedroom, it seems that the empty room would be barely big enough to hold a twin bed and small desk. A tiny light is attached to one wall, and one window looks out over the back yard. (Decoration and furnishing forthcoming.)

The formal living room carries not one but two marble fireplaces. Double, paned-glass doors open into both the dining room as well as the den. (Decoration and furnishing forthcoming.)

The den is a den (Decoration and furnishing forthcoming.)

The end of the hall at the kitchen angles a bit to a corner where two doors can be found. The door to the left leads to a three-quarter bath. Behind the door to the left stands a toilet. Just to its right is a sink and small vanity with a large mirror above it. A wall seperates the sink from a standing shower and a tiny linen closet. The other, frosted door leads to the kitchen.

The last door in the hall, directly below the top of the curving stairs, opens into a combination cloak closet and basement steps.

An ornate, polished oaken railing guides climbers of the ornate front stairs. A cream colored runner on the stairs allows a stately portion of the deeply stained wood to show. Shelves are built into the wall of the curved stairway, holding assorted knickknacks, trinkets, pictures, and tchotchkes. A similar banister and railing protects those walking on the upper hallway as they follow it around to the first bedroom at the front of the house.

Guests - and indeed even the occupants - tend to stop and stare out the high and wide paned picture window that gives the foyer all of its natural lighting. Looking out over the garden and driveway in the front yard, it is quite easy to sit upon a window seat and get comfortable while gazing out and watching the neighborhood.

The first bedroom seems to be a regular bedroom, with cream colored walls, a ceiling fan, a few phone and other connecting jacks here and there. Two doors populate the wall to the left; one opens to a small walk-in closet and the other to a well-appointed if sparse bathroom. The fixtures in here aren't as ornate as those in the rest of the house. (Decoration and furnishing forthcoming.)

The second bedroom, at the opposite side of the large window, was similarly laid out. A sparse bathroom adjacent to a long, shallow closet with folding doors, ceiling fan. Both bedrooms have yet to be decorated. (Decoration and furnishing forthcoming.)

The next door down the hall to the left turns "into the room" to the right, much like a bedroom's door would, however leads only to stairs. Flicking on a switch to the left, a ceiling light and fan turn on far above. The stairs are double-wide; that is, two people could walk side by side to climb the stairs.

Further down on the left at the end of the hall is a larger bedroom, also with a ceiling fan, several windows, walk in closet, and a larger bathroom. Part of the corner of the room is occupied by the stairs to the attic, however, a small set of shelves are visible beneath the angled surface.

Across the hall stands the master bedroom. A short, wide hall which functions as a sitting area with two cream-colored recliner chairs, a small work table, and a wall-mounted TV opens into a huge, long room. Bright, wide windows allow sunlight to stream in, highlighting dark wooden shelving, cubbies, and drawers that seemed built into the wall at the far end. **insert bed descrip** A door leads off to the right, just around the corner from the short hall. Inside is a small room, brightly lit, with two doors. One leads into the master bath, another into the master bedroom's closet. Stepping through the door into the master bath one is almost blinded by the reflections of many mirrors and sharply polished fixtures. A garden-style tub dominates the far corner. Next to it, a toilet and wide, double sink with a long, long vanity counter. The mirror above was well lit. The master bedroom closet is currently unfinished... The closet is completely empty except for a light hanging from the ceiling and a set of plans hanging from a nail in one wall.

The attic is finished. Hardwood floors again, light panelling. The circular windows at the north and south ends, and the larger square windows in the dormers bring in a large amount of light. The angled ceiling isn't too prominent, and there is actually a decent amount of "flat" ceiling. Another envelope of plans hangs from the railing at the top of the stairs. (Decoration and furnishing forthcoming.)

The basement, like the attic is finished. Floored with tile for easy cleanup and storage. Just off the stairs is a walled off area that holds the water heater and other necessary house things (breakerbox, phone box, cable central junction), and opposite the basement stairs stands a door to the outside. The washer and dryer have not been delivered yet. (Decoration and furnishing forthcoming.)

The yard is set up in three levels. The first is a patio/deck with a place for a built in bar-be-que, surrounded by built in benches are currently uncovered (but striped cushions are planned). There is room for at least four tables for two or two tables for four so back yard entertaining will be a possibility.
The second level is a grass lawn trimmed in hedges that rise to the height of the brick wall that skirts the property.
The final level was a forest of assorted trees, which seems to be comprised of mostly tall oaks.

Taller than your "average" garage for this section of town, the garage, sitting just to the northeast of the house, carries a second level apartment. There isn't much special there. Room for three cars (each with independent doors), a closet or wheeled power tool corral space in the back, and shelving and hooks on all the walls. The tiny little apartment above the garage's single room has a small kitchenette, a tiny closet, and a bathroom with toilet, sink and shower stall. (Decoration and furnishing forthcoming.)

The sidewalk and driveway to the front of the house meet up at the southeast edge of the curved driveway.


(( version 01, 02-21-06 ))