Mountain Views News          Saturday, July 21, 2012

11

HOMES

 Mountain Views News Saturday July 21, 2012 

One Of A Kind: Featuring unique homes and gardens and the people who create them Story by Chris Bertrand. Photos by Adriana Ortiz 


THE CRAFTSMAN CHARM 
OF YESTERYEAR… Seamlessly 
Incorporated into Today’s Lifestyle!

The sellers have worked lovingly and diligently to incorporate 
the original 1912 architecture, an addition by previous owners 
and their own floorplan reconfiguration and detail work into a 
home that lives and breathes the Craftsman personality… while 
creating a period appropriate, flexible floorplan with separated 
formal, casual and work areas. 

The areas can flow freely from one to another in a large party, or provide private spaces 
for study or relaxation. Features like the 4’ pocket door to the library or study and the 
swinging dining room door can expand the traffic flow for gatherings, or close off for 
privacy. 

The generous family room, an awkward 1970’s style eyesore eight years ago, is now a 
beautiful marriage of Craftsman and a 2012 lifestyle. The kitchen visually opens to the 
family room through a large pass through at the sink, allowing the cook to feel part 
of adjacent activities. Remodeled by previous owners with stainless steel, Kitchen Aid 
appliances and oak cabinetry, the kitchen was recently updated with black Silestone slab 
counters for a dramatic presentation combined with excellent durability. 

The front porch entry is vintage Americana. The four foot wide door affords a generous welcome to 
all. Once inside, the living room, dining room and library have been beautifully restored to the glory 
of a bygone century. 

Years of paint have been carefully stripped away from the exposed beam ceilings, built-ins windows 
and millwork; the original cast fireplace facing rebuilt; and reproduction casement windows have been 
carefully crafted to match the originals that still proudly grace the front windows. 

Standing in the family room, the harmonious blending of original, vintage, reproduction and new is evident, 
viewing the Douglas Fir millwork from 1912, made to match Douglas fir crown and picture molding 
and the Milgard Douglas Fir french doors (with metal clad exterior for superior weather resistance) side 
by side from this vantage. Look again to enjoy the original Arts and Crafts dining fixture surrounded 
by vintage and 
reproduction 
fixtures 
from www.
Rejuvenation.
com. 

A floorplan 
reconfiguration remodeled and enlarged the main floor bath to include a pedestal bathtub with 
overhead shower, and added hallway access to the main floor bedrooms and bath. Upstairs, the third 
bedroom is an airy suite, with a private bath. Don’t miss the storage area at the stairway landing. 

The side driveway, leading to the large back yard and the garage, is detailed with Arroyo stone. The 
garage was recently shingled to match the house. The front landscape boasts a Gingko tree, which 
produces spectacular golden fall color, and beautifully complements the red Japanese maples. 

The beautiful tree-lined street is just a short walk to the Metro bus and the businesses of Huntington 
Drive, and the South Pasadena Unified School District is well known for its high academic standards 
and successes.

1957 Fletcher in South Pasadena offers 1946 square feet of flexible living space with 3 bedrooms, a 
library and two bathrooms. Just listed by Carol Majors of Coldwell Banker, the property is offered at 
$1,050,000. For more information, visit her website, www.MajorsMarketPlace.com or call 626-399-
9665.


TREES SUFFER DURING DROUGHT

 

With more than half of the continental United States in some stage of drought, what can homeowners 
do to keep their trees healthy during hotter, drier summer months?

"While it's impossible to keep every tree in good health in times of severe drought, taking a 
proactive approach for a prized or sentimental tree can support its good health," recommends 
Tchukki Andersen, staff arborist with the Tree Care Industry Association. "A plan that is supported 
with good cultural practices, proactive monitoring for pests and disease, and response 
to warning signs is more likely to survive." 

Silent Suffering

A tree's first damage from drought occurs beneath the soil line in the form of root damage, long 
before any outward signs of trouble. After a tree's unsuccessful attempts to conserve water by 
closing leaf

 

Opportunistic Pests and Diseases

That's when "opportunistic" pests make their move. Boring insects are thought to be drawn 
by the chemical and acoustic signals of stressed trees. The sound of water columns breaking 
cues the borer to invade the tree and lay eggs. Andersen recommends applying a 3-inch layer 
of organic mulch or wood chips over the root zone at least out to the drip line. This will hold 
moisture longer for stressed roots to access, and will provide a long-term nutritional source for 
the soil. Prized or important trees may be protected from wood-boring insects with spray or 
injection treatments 

Another danger to stressed trees are fungal pathogens. Andersen notes that when a chemical 
change in the tree signals a weakened state, certain pathogens penetrate the bark, wood and 
cambial zone, with fan-like, leathery clumps, cutting off the water supply to the tree.

While all trees are at risk during long period of drought, some are more prone to its effects. 
New transplants are highly vulnerable to drought stress, and supplemental watering for the first 
few years of establishment is necessary, to the extent that it's allowed. But even mature trees are 
suffering. 

 Watering trees deeply with soaker hoses or irrigation systems - as opposed to brief, surface watering 
- helps sustain trees. But it's very difficult to do much for a large tree because of the massive 
amounts of water it needs. With so many trees affected, Andersen recommends watering 
only those trees that you can help. How much water a home landscape needs depends upon its 
soil, sun and shade exposure, plant types, irrigation system and local climate. How much water 
trees require depends upon the type of tree. Applying the right amount of water, based on the 
local weather and the tree's actual need, is the key to using water efficiently. But homeowners 
often over-water their lawns, which in turn surpasses a tree's real needs. 

Drought exacerbates matters for trees already under stress, like those on dry slopes, surrounded 
by pavement, or improperly planted. In landscape situations, consider taking action, such 
as moving smaller trees to a better location, alleviating compaction, or replacing moisture-
draining lawn with a layer of mulch. A two- to three-inch layer of compost will help trees in 
maintaining moisture. 

Outlook

The aftereffects of drought may last three to five years, with the strongest trees surviving. Trees 
have developed their own mechanisms for coping with these cycles, but some trees are on the 
brink of survival and could go either way. If it means the difference between keeping a tree 
around for your lifetime or losing it in the next five years," Andersen says, "it's worth doing 
something about."

 

What can you do?

A professional arborist can assess your landscape, provide information regarding the value potential 
of your trees and work with you to determine the best trees and shrubs to plant for your 
existing landscape. Contact the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA), a public and professional 
resource on trees and arboriculture since 1938. It has more than 2,000 member companies 
who recognize stringent safety and performance standards and who are required to carry 
liability insurance. TCIA has the nation's only Accreditation program that helps consumers 
find tree care companies that have been inspected and accredited based on: adherence to industry 
standards for quality and safety; maintenance of trained, professional staff; and dedication 
to ethics and quality in business practices. An easy way to find a tree care service provider in 
your area is to use the "Find Qualified Tree Care" program. You can use this service by calling 
1-800-733-2622 or by doing a ZIP code search on www.tcia.org.


TIME TO SHOW OFF

If you’ve followed advice given here about sprucing up your home's exterior, well done! 
Now let’s focus attention on the next thing potential buyers will see - the front door and 
the interior. Now is the time for spring-cleaning and to show off your home's best features.

Repaint that front door and touch up around the entry. Make it warm and welcoming with 
updated light fixtures at the entrance and foyer. Speaking of entries, check your windows 
and doors for energy efficiency. If they're not airtight, an investment in new windows and 
insulation will pay off handsomely and impress buyers.

Freshly repainted walls won’t hurt either, and you can achieve a bright, clean look with light 
yellow or cream on the walls and contrasting white woodwork. Buff up your wood floors, 
clean your area rugs or carpets, and replace any worn carpeting before your first showing.

Buyers look carefully at bathrooms, so be sure to remove any spots of mildew, replace caulking, 
and consider a small investment in a new sink and vanity to really make things sparkle.

The icing on the cake is to offer buyers a "home warranty" on the appliances in your house, 
allowing them a full year of service on anything that happens to go wrong. Your pride of 
ownership and their peace of mind should combine to produce a sale!


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com