29th Annual Holiday House Tour, Dec. 6

Save Sunday, Dec. 6., for our 29th Annual Holiday House Tour. The Friends of The Mark Twain House & Museum will be decking the halls of five elegant homes in Hartford and West Hartford for the occasion. Join us as these private homes, plus Mark Twain’s magical mansion, open their doors to you, festooned with arrangements by local florists. Enjoy the live music in each locale. See details on the homes below.

Tickets are $30 in advance ($35 the day of the House Tour) and can be obtained in several ways. Call Fannie Gabriel at 860-242-1016 or Nancy Honore at 860-280-3112; or purchase tickets online here.

You can also purchase tickets at the following businesses:

• A Victorian Garden, Dorothy Harovas, Designer (Wethersfield) 860-563-8414
• The Bookworm (West Hartford) 860-233-2653
• Crandall and Daughter (South Windsor) 860-648-0014
• Designed to Order (Manchester) 860-432-9015
• deVars-Phillips Florist & Antiques (Hartford) 860-523-1235
• Emmy Lou’s, Ltd. (Glastonbury) 860-633-9565
• Gledhill Nursery (West Hartford) 860-233-5692
• Haworth Flower Shop and Greenhouses (Farmington) 860-677-1684
• Horan’s Flower Shop (Simsbury) 860-651-8554
• Labrazel Home (West Hartford) 860-232-6300
• Moscarillo's Garden Shoppe (West Hartford) 860-860-236-5487
• Nelson Salon & Spa (West Hartford) 860-570-1400
• Riverside Nursery & Garden (Canton) 860-693-2285

Platinum sponsor of the event is Viking Fuel Oil, Inc.; Silver sponsors are Hooker & Holcombe, Inc., LaBrazel Home, and Rensselaer at Hartford; Bronze sponsors are Aaron and Sandra Gersten and Kempers Associates Architects. Contributors are Patricia Vautour, Mortgage Master; and Sotil Tree Services.

THE RESIDENCES

35 Woodside Circle, Hartford

In 1923 the Goodwin Family carved out a secluded enclave of 17 home sites and named it Woodside Circle for the exclusive use of its residents. No. 35 was built in 1925 in the Tudor Revival style, designed by architect Milton Hayman.  Its large and welcoming foyer has fresh black and white tiles that add a warm and whimsical note.  The living room features a wall of windows on both the east and west sides. At the far end of this room is a warm and inviting year round sunroom.  The kitchen, while entirely up to the minute, blends seamlessly into the house.  The dining room and library are warm and inviting. The owner’s use of color, fabrics and antiques lend an immediate warmth and comfort and sense of place for family gatherings.

1136 Prospect Avenue, Hartford

A relative newcomer to this historic district, 1136 Prospect Avenue blends in seamlessly with its emphasis on classical design and attention to detail.  Designed and built in the 1980s, it includes many signature elements of its noted architect, Robert A.M. Stern, who designed The Museum Center at the Mark Twain House & Museum.

A beautiful stairway with several turns, a large Palladian window, classic columns and a step-down into the living room are Stern features. The eat-in kitchen with black and white tile floor, white cabinets and stainless appliances has vibrant red walls.

9 Ledyard Road, West Hartford

This charming Colonial Revival home was built in  1925.  The architect was Milton Hayman, who designed several homes on Ledyard Road.  The area is on the National Register of Historic Places. The house is made of hand-formed brick (lower) and  cedar shake (upper).  An inviting foyer painted in a yellowy cream holds a large breakfront that holds a collection of Middle Eastern headdresses. The living room lovely room continues the creamy color and has cornices of the era: the paneling is almost entirely original. Over the mantle is a collection of antique American car horns. The kitchen, dining room and den, carefully designed and furnished, bring to life the owner's eclectic collections from all over the world.

10 Colony Road, West Hartford

This Georgian Revival home was built in 1929, designed by architect Walter P. Crabtree, Jr. and built by Peter Jensen.  The exterior is symmetrical, with lovely coin pillars on each corner.  A curved stairway leads to the upper levels and arched doorways lead to other rooms. The living room runs the depth of the house.  The woodwork is original. The paint on the walls is overlaid by a rag-wiped glaze, making for a light atmosphere.  Numerous pieces of furniture throughout are pieces built and finished by the owner. In 1988 as a part of a major renovation, the porch was enclosed as a sunroom, an inviting sitting room, the centerpiece of which is a Chinese "opium" bed. This large house is deceptive in appearance from the front, in order to maintain the lovely Georgian details of the original building.

1100 Prospect Avenue, West Hartford

This white Georgian Revival House with Craftsman influences was built in 1914-15, designed by the architectural firm of Smith and Bassette.  French doors lead to the living room and the dining room. The library’s paneling is wood cut from one tree, cut paper-thin, mounted on heavy canvas and applied to the walls.  Over the fireplace is the head of a deer with a huge antler spread.  A collection of bronze animals and birds from Austria, Spain and Africa are displayed. In the dining room is a 16th-century Flemish tapestry portraying a hunting scene.  Of note is the dining room table, 200 years old and in daily use. Beyond the dining room is a narrow butler's pantry with an entry to the kitchen.

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