Adam G. Jett House, 1910

This unusually large bungalow with its curvy stone piers, rich exterior mixture of textures and materials, and lovely Arts & Crafts interior, has been attributed to architect Neander Montgomery Woods, Jr.  It is certainly fitting that twenty-first century architects, Mary and Reb Haizlip, are the owners of a house designed by an early twentieth century Memphis architect noted for his great originality. No doubt Woods would have been very pleased to know that, over a hundred years after designing the house, it would be in the hands of two talented architects. The homeowners have corrected the poorly designed 1990s renovations, expanded and renovated the kitchen (adding a mudroom and laundry area), and installed new style-appropriate lighting throughout the house. They have also completed the landscaping of the front and rear yards.

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Donald P. Mann House, 1911

Praised by author Eugene J. Johnson as “the finest true Colonial Revival structure in the city” in Memphis, An Architectural Guide, this two-and-a-half story house is home to the Collier family. Ginger and Dabney Collier bought the house in 2009 but didn’t occupy it until a complete renovation and restoration was finished, almost two years later. The renovation included replacing existing wiring and plumbing, adding a porch off of the kitchen for outdoor dining and making minor changes to the floor plans of the upper stories to better accommodate the family’s private living space. All of the wonderful original hardware, woodwork and bathroom fixtures were preserved or restored. Furthermore, the bathrooms and the kitchen were returned to their beautiful early twentieth century roots; this transformation was accomplished by using period appropriate designs, materials and details.

J. Harley Sewell House, 1925

Homeowner Carol Winn also recently completed a two-year renovation and restoration of this house, living in it while all of the work was being done. In 2006, she purchased the Tudor Revival cottage with original doors and hardware that had been “remuddled” by previous owners.  1920s-style handcrafted built-in book cases, linen cabinets and a butler’s pantry were added to the first floor. The outdated 1970s kitchen was gutted and replaced with a beautifully designed one that is in keeping with the style of the house. The cramped attic master bedroom and bath were also gutted. A light-filled master suite with no traces of its attic ancestry was produced by raising the rear roof, adding dormers and reconfiguring the space. The suite now consists of a spacious bedroom and bath with an adjacent laundry area and a walk-in closet that is really a dressing room with all of the bells and whistles.

Frank C. Milton House, 1923

In 2005, Calvin Turley purchased his childhood home from the estate of his mother, Cordelia Turley. The one-and-a-half story stucco house with its European-influenced style has proved to be the perfect house for Calvin and his wife Louise. So perfect in fact, that no renovation or restoration work has been necessary. The homeowners have, however, changed the exterior color scheme of the house to one that emphasizes its European heritage and furnished the interior to beautifully complement its sophisticated design. The rear garden, viewed from the living room and sunken dining room through a dramatic curved wall of windows, has been completely reworked because of tree losses. The former, more formal, shade garden has been transformed into a sunny flower-filled one.

William A. Bridewell House, 1924

Because it was designed in the Federal Style, this house would be very common in New England but is quite uncommon in Central Gardens and other historic Memphis neighborhoods. The two-story red brick house has a commanding presence partly due to its driveway and those of the adjacent houses being in the rear, allowing for an unbroken expanse of green in the front. In just three years, the homeowner has bedded all new landscaping to further enhance the front of the house. The rear yard has also been landscaped, and a full-width wooden pergola has recently been built over an existing patio. An impressive number of do-it-yourself interior projects have likewise been completed; these include installing new lighting and painting the walls and ceilings in many of the rooms.

William W. Robinson House, 1913

Dr. Lynda Sagrestano and her husband Dr. Robert Yelle purchased this two-story painted brick house with notable exterior columns and interior center hallways in 2008. Following the Preservation Guidelines of the Secretary of the Interior, the homeowners immediately began researching the history of the house to better understand it. The pair compiled a history that would impress even the Secretary of the Interior. Their findings include extensive newspaper coverage from 1962 on the addition of the stone columns to the front porch of the house rescued from the demolition of the 1907 Goodwyn Institute Building, The spacious second floor center hall has been turned into a charming family library with built-in bookcases, a window seat and upholstered chairs that are very stylish and comfortable.