On Saturday December 1, 2018 the Rake & Hoe Garden Club of Westfield will hold “Deck the Halls” Holiday House Tour & Boutique. The tour which is held every four years, includes four homes decorated for the season and a boutique that showcases many items crafted from natural materials and adorned in holiday style.
Proceeds from the tour support the club’s operations and its numerous service projects for veterans, mobile meals, and the Jardine Academy in Cranford (operated by the Cerebral Palsy League), and the maintenance of several community sites around Westfield. The club also makes donations to local schools, libraries, arboretums and land trusts.
Tickets are $35 in advance $40 at the door day of show. Tickets will be available at: Baron’s Drug Store, 243 East Broad Street, Westfield and Williams Nursery, 524 Springfield Avenue, Westfield. Or by Mail: Make checks payable to “Rake and Hoe Garden Club” and mail with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Carolynn Pulliam,648 Arlington Avenue, Westfield, NJ 07090-2104. Information about the club and “Deck the Halls” can be found on the club’s website, (rakeandhoe.org) or Facebook page.
The four houses on the tour are:
641 Elm Street: Magnolia Christmas” is the theme of the decorations for this lovely home This enchanting Victorian house was completely renovated, including a 1,500 square foot addition in 2016. Anyone passing by this house will notice the unique moldings, charming windows, and large front porch. The craftsmanship seen on the exterior of the house continues throughout the interior.
Magnolia leaves will adorn the outside lamppost. As you enter the house, be sure to notice the magnolia angel ornaments on the Christmas tree in the formal living room, as well as the use of magnolia leaves as placemats in the dining room. The cozy living room features a Nutcracker and a Santa Claus collection, as well as a tree decorated with teal and apricot paint-ball ornaments.
The mudroom focuses on the family’s three large dogs, with a tree decorated with dog biscuits and apple-cinnamon ornaments. Whimsical dog wreaths adorn the closet doors and dog floral arrangements recline on the bench. As you exit this charming home, Swedish gnomes stand guard in the back yard!
531 Bradford Avenue: “Woodland Tidings” is the theme for this house. Built in 1928, this 4-bedroom, 3-bath home is of a cottage-style Tudor Revival design. Typical of this style is the mix of brick and (fish-scale) shingles on the facade. The house features an unusual beveled glass porthole window in the front door and an elegant stained-glass window featuring a central fleur-de-lis in the den.
Pots brimming with greens and gilded pinecones hug the front steps. Inside the house, vines, greens and ribbon adorn the staircase and in the living room the mantel features an asymmetrical design of burgundy amaryllis, greens, berries, and candles. The elegant woodland theme flows throughout the house. While in the den, handmade stockings stuffed with flowers are hung with care and in the family room, winterberry, handmade birds, handcrafted birdhouses and gilded balls grace the tree.
540 Highland Avenue: “From Farm to City Christmas” is the theme of this bright and cheery home, a theme that reflects the origins of the homeowner who grew up on a Midwestern farm. Built between 1910 and 1915, as a center hall Colonial. The addition of a front porch by the current owner in 2004 has given the home more of a farm-house style. A second addition in 2008 created a spacious library and family room. The striking windows in the library are original to the home, having been removed from the home’s former sun room and reinstalled in the new space. The pantry doors were originally the exterior doors of a neighbor’s home.
As guests approach the house, they are greeted along the walkway by metallic farm animals decked out for the holidays in sprigs of greenery. The large Christmas tree in the family room is decorated with hand stitched farm animals, while in the kitchen a homemade gingerbread farmhouse sits on the island. The focal point of the dining room is the table with its unique runner fashioned from burlap, greens and flowers and napkins folded in the shape of miniature Christmas trees. A more sophisticated tone is struck in the living room where topiaries flank the fireplace and white and gold ornaments sparkle on a tabletop tree, providing just enough “city” glitz for the city aspect of our “Farm to City” home.
1 Stanley Oval: The theme “Family Holiday Homestead” was inspired by the history of this delightful home. This turn of the century 4-bedroom colonial home was built in 1911. Multi-colored terracotta tile, leaded stained-glass windows, and hardwood floors are found throughout this home. In 2012, the kitchen was renovated,and a family room was added. Gracing the front of the home is a wide pillared porch with a terra cotta floor and a portico on the side. In keeping with the original roof, a new wood shingle roof recently replaced the old one. The home was originally lit by gas light before electricity was installed.
The spacious front porch will enchant you with charming and winsome décor. It’s easy to imagine family gatherings in the kitchen and family room, in contrast with the sophistication of the formal dining and living rooms. Look for the gingerbread carousel in the kitchen. Children’s toys abound on the welcoming wreath, nutcrackers march up the stairs and hand-crafted ornaments made from toys bedeck the Christmas trees. A whimsical toy truck ablaze with holiday blooms adorns the family room. This home will bring back childhood holiday memories and the warmth of simpler times.
