Dad’s Favorite Spots
June 18, 2011
With the United States celebrating Father’s Day on Sunday, and recent events for Boston’s professional teams, like the Bruins’ Stanley Cup win on Wednesday, or the current Red Sox’ streak of wins, is there ever a better time to feature prime spaces to kick back and watch the game? That’s right, we’ve scoured our current inventory of homes to find fantastic media/recreation rooms. (I’ll stay politically correct and not use the colloquial term.) Some of these have made our property videos, and here are some favorites.
The luxurious and classic is the Billiard Room. We found one in Cumberland and the current owners have furnished this room with a pool table (thus the label “Billiard Room”). However, the space has wooden detailing with exquisite built-ins, perfectly sized for a big screen TV and the space could have many uses.
A similar atmosphere can be found in Smithfield. Here, a finished basement offers a spacious Great Room and Home Theater. The Great Room has an elegantly crafted built-in wet bar, which is why the current owners chose to mount plasma TVs in the room and furnish it with a poker table. In the theater section, a movie screen drops from the ceiling with the press of a button which highlights some some great gadgetry.
And over on the East Side of Providence, we found a recreational sanctuary in a basement in the form of an enormous Club Room and Media Room/Home Theater. The Club Room has beautiful wooden detailing and moldings as well as a wet bar. Of course, there is the ubiquitous plasma TV over the exquisite fireplace – an excellent idea. The theater has as large a screen as possible for the room, and the electronics are neatly stored in built-in cabinetry. The dimmer controlled lighting over movie posters is a great touch.
These are well done spaces, but wherever your favorite spot is, let’s hope you have a great weekend.
Real Estate Insight Discusses the Wedding Cake House
June 13, 2011
189 Hope Street, a property known by many for its wedding cake resemblance, has a certain creative flair that is unusual to Second Empire houses in Providence. The architectural detailing is exquisite, with ornate molding throughout that reminds one of frosted elegance. Built in 1877 for Horatio N Campbell, this 8000 sq ft home in the heart of Brown combines the intricate design of our forefathers with the convenience of today. For more information on the home, contact the Taylor Group.
A Refuge from the Summertime Heat
June 7, 2011
During the hustle and bustle of the school year, it can be easy to forget the pleasures of reading. But as your days become less hectic over Summer Break, it’s important to remember the many organizations that help make reading more enjoyable—the public libraries. Libraries across the state feature Book Clubs, Lectures, Movie Nights and Events, and we thought it might be nice to highlight the unique, creative opportunities for community involvement.
For those living in the West Bay, the North Kingstown Free Library will hold their June Breakfast with Books on Friday June 17th, which looks like a great event for both book and food lovers. The East Greenwich Free Library will hold the kid-friendly Lego Day on Saturday, June 18th.
For those living in the East Bay, the Barrington Public Library will feature Literary Speed Networking events for adults as well as Classic Films on the Big Screen, while the George Hail Free Library in Warren will feature a Teen Film Series.
Northern Rhode Island’s Libraries also offer some interesting opportunities, such as Thursday Afternoon Chess and the MOMS Club of Cumberland at the Cumberland Public Library. The Lincoln Public Library features a multitude of Computer Classes and will be holding a Childrens Summer Luau on June 22nd.
In South County, workshops on topics like Easy Lawn Care at the Kingston Free Library are popular with locals. The Westerly Public Library holds frequent Children’s Concerts by the Westerly Town Band, but will be having a Victorian Garden Party on June 25th, which seems like the perfect event to kick-off the summer .
The Providence Public Library, located downtown, has 9 additional Community Libraries scattered throughout the city, and thus holds a multitude of events that are geared towards the communities served. From Parent Workshops to Offbeat Movie Musicals, there is always something going on at one of the branches.
Whether you join a book club, take out a book, or are just looking for a quiet place to read, Rhode Island public libraries can provide a refuge from the summertime heat. These organizations foster an educational tradition in our communities, and help make Rhode Island a great place to live.
PPS Presents the Best of Blackstone Boulevard
June 1, 2011
This Saturday, June 4th, the Providence Preservation Society hosts their annual Festival of Historic Houses, with Blackstone Boulevard as the featured neighborhood. As the event approaches, we thought it might be appropriate to highlight what makes this area of the East Side so worthy.
Known throughout Providence for the walking path which extends down the center, the Blackstone Boulevard neighborhood was developed in 1894. Designed by the renowned Olmsted brothers, their landscaping introduced the City Beautiful movement to Providence and what we now use as a walking path, was originally created as a trolley line. While this location had previously been somewhat isolated, the trolley brought development to the community and it quickly became one of the most desirable addresses in Providence. The trolley stopped running in 1948, but the historic houses remain.
Lincoln School, where tickets for the event will be sold, marks the beginning of the Boulevard. Established in 1884, Lincoln is the East Side’s oldest all-girls school, and the building exemplifies the historic structures that line the Boulevard. While most of these are of course, residential, they all maintain a similar character and grandeur that allow for a very “private” feel. The houses are mostly medium to large, built in the early to mid 20th century, and are architecturally similar to those built on College Hill during the 18th and 19th centuries. At the end of the Boulevard lies Lippitt Memorial Park, as well as a number of cafes, restaurants and shops.
So, from 11:00AM to 5:00PM, you can enjoy the beauty of several of these homes which help make the area vibrant and popular. Additional information can be obtained on the Providence Preservation Society website.
See the Historic Homes of Providence
May 21, 2011
The Providence Preservation Society’s Festival of Historic Homes has been a Providence favorite for the past 32 years. Each Spring, this city-wide preservation organization opens selected historic homes to the public, allowing locals to enjoy the remarkable real estate that makes Providence unique. Recent tours have been based in areas such as the West Side’s Stimson Avenue, and the Wayland Square and Fox Point neighborhoods on the East Side. In fact, my home was featured in 2008! This year’s event is especially exciting because the Boulevard is a highly visible area in Providence, due to the popular walking path that extends down the center. For more information on this upcoming event, visit the Providence Preservation Society website.
Attesting to its worth, 2 George Street has also been on several of the PPS walking tours. Built at perhaps the best location on the entire East Side, this home is right at the heart of one of Providence’s most popular cultural hubs. Set at the corner of Benefit and George Streets, the property is within walking distance to downtown, Brown University, the Rhode Island School of Design, the Providence Art Club, the RISD Art Museum, and the Providence Athenaeum, as well as the Hope and University Clubs. The home was built it 1814 for Eliza Ward by her father and this spectacular brick Georgian has been beautifully preserved inside and out. With unique attributes such as antique French hand-painted wallpaper and a beautiful courtyard, the property is truly one of a kind. These are only some of the many merits of 2 George Street, but you can view the whole list on the property’s website.