May 21, 2021
BY: John R. Ellement, (Boston Globe)
In a city with a history of watch-making, drivers spend a lot of lost time stuck in traffic on Trapelo Road. To others, the mere mention of Waltham conjures images of the digital companies sprinkled along Route 128. But this house offers something different: a woodsy 1-acre lot.Built in the 1950s and updated several times since, this home is deliberately not a “McMansion” but a house that has aged nicely in rural surroundings that include a view of a pond.
The front door is reached via a walkway from the gravel driveway. The vertical wood-sided exterior promises a rustic interior, and the inside does not disappoint. The cathedral ceiling and the walls are a mix of white paint and knotty cedar in a medium stain. Underscoring the term “rustic,” the bulbous red-brick wood-burning fireplace runs from floor to ceiling and is the focal point of the pretty room.
The living area continues the tie-in to nature by offering an expansive view of the outdoors via a set of three wide rectangular windows topped with ones that descend in size to form a pennant. The living area is part of an open floor plan that includes the dining area and the kitchen.
A wood-clad ceiling denotes the start of the dining area, which is nestled on brick next to a bay window and a trio of other windows. The brick continues into the kitchen, forming an accent wall. Here there is room for expansion. The cherry cabinets are newer but not numerous. The appliances are white, including the electric stove, and the counter is granite. The brick accent wall offers a space for additional cabinetry.
A slider from the kitchen opens to a 378-square-foot owner’s suite encompassing a sitting room, bedroom, and bath. The bath offers a tub/shower combination and a single porcelain corner sink. The walls are a mix of cedar paneling and blue ceramic tile in a modern stack. The same tiles in the shower were used for the floor. Across from the bathroom is a door that opens to a wood deck with views of the lot, a stone water fountain, and the pond.
The carpeted sitting room, which has space for an armchair, loveseat, and small table, gets natural light from windows and a skylight. Its partner, a very white bedroom area, has a wooden floor painted white, a white ceiling broken up by exposed beams, an antique wood stove, a ceiling fan, and several windows.
The final space on this level is a 230-square-foot family room with a wood floor painted white, built-ins, numerous windows, and a slider to the side yard.
The stairway to the upper level is a wood-clad beauty back in the living room. At its apex is a 202-square-foot loft-style bedroom with a skylight and windows. The closet has folding doors. Next door is the home’s second full bath, which has the same features as the first-floor bath but laminate flooring.
A bonus room on this floor could be a home office, but it doesn’t have a closet and the roofline makes it difficult to use for anything other than storage. The 195-square-foot room does offer a nice set of built-in cabinets. The home, which is being sold “as is,” does not have a cellar. The property includes a greenhouse and two sheds.
Blacksmith Ted Tucker and his family have been the sole owners of the home, and his ironwork can be found throughout the house and on the grounds.
Paul Cirignano and Marie Montieth of The Synergy Group are the listing agents. As of press time, an offer with a contingency had been accepted on the home.
Comments