Wisdom's Zen - Virtual Home Tour

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Virtual Home Tour

Astrally project to Thom's Chinese Wedding Chest.

Something Oriental
(Click here for details.)

Edmondston-Alston House.
So, isn't my home lovely with the huge porches and large windows? And, did you check out the palm trees on the grounds, which just happen to overlook the water?

Magnolia Plantation.

And, my garden... Isn't it so meticulously groomed?

Oops! That's right! That's not my home! That's another historic home (the Edmondston-Alston House on East Battery Street in Charleston, SC) and gardens (at Magnolia Plantation outside of Charleston) that I visited back in 1998. Silly me! What was I thinking?

March, 2000

Sophia Street View.

Fredericksburg's Old and Historic District serves to protect the integrity of structures within its downtown section. All major exterior modifications must be approved by the Architectural Review Board.

No, here is my home on Sophia Steet in downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia. It's not quite as elaborate as those other places, but I love it just the same. And, no, it's not really surrounded by palm trees. However, it does have a view of the water--the Rappahannock River. (That's the river beside which George Washington chopped down the proverbial cherry tree and could not lie about it, according to the local lore.)

I discovered my home during a Friday evening excursion with my brother, Tim, and Laura (his then girlfriend and now wife). At first I assumed that it was out of my price range. Its beautiful heart of pine floors and restored interior had to be too "pricey," right? And, the location, right there in the Old and Historic District, had to be untouchable...it just had to be. Happily, I found, upon calling the realtor, that my thoughts were premature. I actually could afford it, and I bought it in July, 1993!

Built in 1920

Lewis Street View.

A "gabled ell" vernacular house is typical in many urban settings due to lot size restrictions. Some interior rooms cannot be entered without first going through others and are not connected directly by a hallway.

I found that my two-story home was built on a parcel of land between the Kenmore Plantation (the home of George Washington's only sister, Betty, and her husband, Fielding Lewis, by the way, for the lay people out there) and the Rappahannock River. (The home's history was researched by the "Marker Committee" of the Historic Fredericksburg Foundation, Inc. in preparation for the 2002 Candlelight Tour, on which appeared my home.) The home's interior is a "work in progress." (Have I used that term before?) In fact, I think of it as a project to restore "dignity" to the home (that's something I read in one of those expensive architects' "trade" magazines).

Welcome!

Door Knocker.

The solid brass door knocker at the main entrance is cast from a mold of the one at the Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street in London. I received it as a gift from Mom; she purchased it at Kenmore's gift shop in Fredericksburg.

The first floor consists of a living room, a dining room, a kitchen with a "breakfast area" (although I have never used it for that), an entrance hall (actually a small gallery of sorts), and a powder room (made from the removal of the only downstairs closet). The second floor (the residence's "private" rooms, as I have been told) consists of my bedroom, a guest bedroom, the "master" ("master's" ?) bathroom, and a central room directly over the dining room which I call the "library."

The lot on which my home sits (stands?) is strictly urban in scale, with nice views of my neighbors' homes (great people, by the way) on either side. I am in the midst of a process of "renovating" the "grounds." With some ideas I developed after a visit to Charleston, I decided to brick the entire area and to add a raised seating area (a terrace), a fountain, and a few small retaining walls. Additionally, I have added a fence of brick and wood around the perimeter to "define" the space (isn't that what landscape architects say?). (You can look at the design, if you are interested.)

Brick Surface Idea

Fountain Idea

Fence Arch Idea

The "piece de resistance" (is that too much or what?) of the project will be my new art studio. My current plans call for the complete renovation of the shed at the southwest corner of my property (doesn't that sound like there are acres and acres of space?). The shed itself is constructed of cement blocks (a building that pre-dates my home), with a beautifully restored roofline that my Dad built back in 1998.


Vision

This more than 200 square feet structure has served as a utility shed for several years. Its renovation will add another dimension to the property and provide me with the realization of one of my urban "visions."

The addition of a dormer window in the roof and an angel weathervane stirred my interest and helped me to develop some ideas. The conduit for utilities (no water) is in place, and I plan to construct the interior walls and do the finishing work soon. A set of French doors is in place, too, in order to allow more natural light into the "space.") I have always wanted a place that would encourage me to paint, which is one of my great pastimes, and this should do it. (If you are interested, please check out my Art Gallery page.)

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