800 South Newport Avenue

The owners of this timeless home were attracted to its warm presence, beautiful windows, and generous porch. It is a Lloyd Craftsmen home, built in 1918. Craftsmen homes were popular from 1900 to the 1930’s and still remain relevant a century later. Stickley and his designers belonged to a group of architects who inspired the Prairie School movement with Frank Lloyd Wright as its icon.

All of the floors on level two are original as well as the waterfall glass windows. The porch rooms that are covered downstairs have a slight slant to them, which is the way homes were built at that time to allow for rain runoff. The family discovered this when trying to hang paintings upstairs and found that the outside rooms have a slope! 

This residence also has a unique history: During World War II, the house served as a home to women and children from Michigan whose husbands were deployed in France. The owners love knowing that there were once many children who frolicked in these hallways. The handprints from an owner named “Bud” in 1937, and his wife, also still exist in the cement floor of the garage.

The biggest upgrade to this house was the swim spa on the side of the house. No one could believe that the family could put a pool in this tiny space, and though it was a huge challenge, it is just the right size for them. 

Every year at Christmas, the neighborhood hosts carriage rides and this home is always the starting point. The owners enjoy hearing the carols and musicians outside their porch and they make it a point to light the fire and have an early dinner so they can join in the fun!