A graceful Greek Revival at 2700 sf with detached two-story garage, the Aldrich residence is usually taken for a historic house of the 1830s, yet it was designed for practical, modern living. A first-floor master suite allows for aging-in-place and includes a “drive in” shower and a “walk in” bathtub. On the second floor are two large guest rooms with shared full bath.
The facade of the Aldrich residence is sided in practical fiber cement clapboard, which is virtually impossible to distinguish from the real thing at a small distance.
The living room is large enough for a small crowd, with room for a Steinway grand and a wall of bookshelves.
The kitchen is visible from the living room and serves as the heart of the house; despite its compact size it functions exceedingly well.
The study functions as a library and an office for the homeowner, with photographs and mementoes of a lifetime in public service around his massive partners’ desk, a 1917 gift from his mother to his father.
One of the twin bedrooms on the second floor has conventional beds as well as built-in bunks under the front eaves for the many grand-children who accompany their parents on visits.
Tne front door with its small bluestone stoop supporting fluted wooden columns creates a powerful first impression.