Early in the 20th century, the Tudor Revival style, based on English country homes of the Henry VIII and Elizabeth I period, became a popular choice for homeowners in the burgeoning suburbs and an alternative to the Colonial Revival, which was considered bland and lacking in warmth. Exterior features included half-timbered stucco walls, steep tiled or slated roofs with multiple gables, elaborate tall chimneys, and casement windows with leaded panes. Inside rooms often had exposed-beam or coffered ceilings, arched doorways, and varnished or stained wood paneling or wainscoting.
Hamilton Road was the main thoroughfare through one of the earliest suburban subdivisions in Chappaqua, developed by John Isaac Devoe Bristol and his son-in-law, Albert Turner, and called Perry Heights after Bristol’s illustrious ancestor Oliver Hazard Perry. In 1925, Irving S. and Hazel B. Fellner bought a couple of lots at the top of the hill to build their new Tudor style house with spectacular, countryside views. Completed in 1927, and largely unaltered, it is a fine example of picturesque architecture steeped in the traditions of English history.
The current owners furnished and decorated the interior to complement its richly detailed architecture. The asymmetrical layout of their rooms and the varied levels of their floors are classic Tudor style: step down from the hall into the living room, and step up from the living room to the dining room. The living room features exposed decorative ceiling beams, a high open hearth, built-in cabinets and bookshelves, and a large bay window with leaded-glass casements. Atop the casements are stained-glass panels portraying Columbus-era caravels.
Many furnishings were acquired from the former Crown House in Chappaqua. The current owners have meticulously cultivated and restored the property’s glorious gardens, including a boxwood English herb garden, reminiscent of this bygone era.
This is a rare opportunity to own one of Chappaqua’s premier residences, notes listing agent, Jeanne Coon. To learn more about this home, go to jeannecoon.houlihanlawrence.com