A c.1890 Phoenicia Victorian with a Mid-Mod Surprise: $329.9K

  |  September 10, 2024

Today, Upstater is at an Eastlake-style, c.1890 Phoenicia Victorian with a surprising Mid-Mod detail in the kitchen.

English architect Charles Locke Eastlake popularized a more geometric and naturistic style of design in the late Victorian era. This house, on Phoenicia’s Main Street, appears to have some Eastlake details, including the rectilinear trim along the second-story facade and the lathe-turned columns on the porch.

Stained glass fills a stairwell window adjacent to the front door.

The leafy ornamentation on the stairs’ newel post is reminiscent of Eastlake design; the geometric railing—lacking the heavy ornamentation of earlier Victorian styles—also brings Eastlake to mind. We’d love a closer look at the door hardware, since classic Eastlakes often have beautifully geometric carving on the brass.

The foyer is fully carpeted, which is soft underfoot; however, the new owner may want to swap it for something easier to maintain.

The living room is carpeted, too, with light aqua walls. That square bumpout set of windows pours light into the room.

The living room flows into the dining room, with a change in flooring as well.

The kitchen continues that wall color. Stark, Midcentury Modern cabinets fill one side of the kitchen, along with that nice surprise mentioned earlier: a Frigidaire Flair electric range and oven. A mainstay in the early ’60s, the range had a pullout stovetop and an oven with a pull-up door. Saveur recently published an ode to the appliance, which has gained a modern following including a Facebook fan page.

We hope the new owner would consider hanging onto that Flair, if it fully works. The cabinets’ sleek design, too, is worth incorporating into a modern kitchen redo, in our opinion. However, the ceiling, fluorescent lights, and linoleum floor are not our favorites.

The linoleum tile pattern in this hallway is vintage, indeed.

The house has four bedrooms: This one, fully carpeted, has a pastel floral wallpaper.

The hardwood flooring in this bedroom is worth refinishing.

Canary-yellow walls pop against thick white trim in the third bedroom.

The final bedroom needs a new floor treatment to replace that worn linoleum. While they’re at it, the owner could repaint the aqua walls, too.

A vintage clawfoot tub anchors this large bathroom.

A half-bath with a vintage, wall-mounted sink is a bonus.

Bluestone steps lead from the back of the house to the yard, where a small red shed offers up storage options. The property totals about a quarter-acre. It’s just down the street from The Phoenician steakhouse, too.

If this c.1890 Phoenicia Victorian with a Mid-Mod surprise tugs at your heartstrings, find out more about 23 Main Street, Phoenicia, from Gene M. Rios with Gene Rios Realty.

Read On, Reader...