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2002 Home Tour

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2945 NE 17th.
A Classic Colonial Revival Home set in a Lush Garden

Built in 1919 as a Prairie School style home, this house was restyled in 1935 into the classic Colonial Revival form we see today.  The original owners, Clare C. and Gertrude Richards built the house as a speculative investment and sold it in 1920 for the very substantial sum of $9500.  During the next 15 years DeForest C. Thompson, a lumberman, and his family lived here, until building contractor Max Shimshak bought the home and transformed it into the Colonial Revival Style.

Lovingly restored and modernized in the last few years by the current owners, this house shows an attention to detail from the magnificent gardens (one of the owners is a "Master Gardner") to the Morris wallpaper in the master bedroom.

This house represents the dream of a couple who had searched all over America to find the perfect home in the perfect community.  The sought a lot large enough for a great garden, space for workshop and hobby activity, a warm, friendly neighborhood, and (of course) a fine older, traditionally styled home.  This they found (not surprisingly to fellow residents of the community) in Irvington.  Once here, they set about to make the home "their own", and the results can be seen in the photo pages.

The house is notable for its custom-made period-style furnishings in the living room, the gracious colors and proportions of the stately dining room, and the upstairs rooms, each tailored for its special function in the service of the owners' lifestyles.  Perhaps the most striking room is the airy gourmet kitchen with its delightful views of the garden from its breakfast area, and the innovative elements that convey a traditional feel with modern convenience.

The gardens too are remarkable for their creative selections of plants, the shaping of garden spaces into "rooms" for outdoor living, and the wondrous front yard which separates the house from the street with cascades of leafy green.  The gardens have recently been featured in PBS's "Victory Gardens" series and will soon appear in Better Homes and Gardens magazine.