New Photo of The Johnston House

Hello! I just added a new photo of Frederick Scheibler's Johnston House in Highland Park to its blog post. You can see the full post and lots more photos here.

The Johnston House, 6349 Jackson Street

I have a treat for you! I get to share absolutely stunning photos tonight!

Earlier this year, when 6349 Jackson Street was listed for sale, I started a post about it here. This weekend, I was fortunate to meet the new owner, Fred. He has been doing amazing work on the house and generously sent me pictures to share with you.

First, let's learn a little bit about the house, courtesy of Martin Aurand's The Progressive Architecture Of Frederick G. Scheibler, Jr.

Scheibler designed it in 1921 - 1922 for William D. and Clara E. Johnston, who commissioned three Scheibler designs in Highland Park. Aurand describes the Johnston House's "simple cubelike massing, self-effacing stucco, and crisp detailing." It is set on a slight hilltop, which was built, and sits back further from the street than its neighbors. Aurand writes that the house "masquerades as a pint-size Palladian villa on a Mediterranean hilltop."

As you approach, the home has an open porch on the right and and enclosed sun porch on the left. Aurand writes, "It functions like a sundial as the sun tracks daily across the southern sky, giving growth to vines in the art-glass windows."

Inside, you'll find rooms of all different sizes, arched windows, mahogany cabinets, room dividers with art-glass panels, built-in light fixtures, and a fireplace focal point with Moravian tiles in the living room. Aurand describes the "fine details [that] demonstrate Scheibler's growing penchant for rich interior treatments, completing the house's multi-faceted personality."

Scheibler designed the house with 3 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, a maid's room, sun porch, living room, dining room, kitchen, sleeping porch, and a garage with living quarters.

Scheibler designed a near twin of this house for Frank and Eva Harter in Ventor City, New Jersey, adding a side entry and bay window to face the ocean. (Ocean views were later blocked by the construction of another house.)

Okay, let's get to Fred's beautiful photos! He's done incredible work. (Don't forget that you can still see old photos here. Check out the "before" picture of the fireplace to appreciate all the work Fred has done!)

Look at that amazing fireplace! 

Fred tells me, "A previous owner had removed several of the art glass panels and mahogany room divider panels. Fortunately, they stored them in the garage so I was able to hire a furniture maker who was able to restore and replace missing components and reinstall them.  Most of the mahogany trim work had also been painted over and I spent the winter removing and refinishing the mahogany.  It now looks like Schelibler meant it to look.  I was fortunate enough to have copies of the original blueprints which had elevation sketches of the interior so we could see how it was supposed to look."

Fred is in the midst of having the exterior painted. He said I could come see it and take more photos when it's complete! As Fred says, "These Schelibler houses are real treasures and should be shared and enjoyed by everyone."

I agree! Thank you Fred, and thank you, reader!

So long from Abigail.

Klages House, 5525 Beverly Place

"Entering the Klages House in Highland Park is like walking into an enchanted cave where stained glass parrots roost in the dormers, tile turtles and ducks are underfoot and carved wooden dragons greet you at the top of the staircase,"

...writes Patricia Lowry in her article "Dynamic Domiciles" for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 

Welcome to the Klages House, one of Scheibler's most romantic houses!

This Historic Landmark was designed in 1922-23, my favorite Scheibler period. Today, big, beautiful trees block much of the house, but we're lucky that this home has many fans and lots of information online.

According to Lowry's article, the home is made of Philadelphia schist, a luminous, reflective stone.

This  house is another example of Scheibler rejecting the idea that a main entrance has to sit at the front of the facade. This home's entrance is delightfully, ambiguously tucked in a tower on the side! The entrance sits under, according to floor plans, a "sewing room" and forces one to make a 135-degree turn to enter the house.

Tucked in a tower!

Recessed front porch, with floor-to-ceiling windows and grids of art glass

The Klages House was designed for Allen and Elizabeth Klages and remained in the family till 1994. In The Progressive Architecture of Frederick G. Scheibler, Martin Aurand writes that the owners were proud of the Klages House, even featuring a drawing of it on their Christmas cards, but that they had to prod Scheibler about its completion and, according to Allen's second wife, Suzanne Klages, even filed a suit against him over a disagreement about the second story flooring.

The Klages House is featured in WQED's Houses Around Here, which you can borrow, locally, on DVD from the Oakland branch of the Carnegie Library.

I'm dazzled by the interior--a fairy tale space brimming with birds, bees, butterflies, crabs, ducks, dolphins, owls, dragonflies and turtles. Aurand writes that the elaborate ornamentation is second only to the amazing Eva Harter House in Squirrel Hill.  He says that the living and dining rooms are paneled in dark wood and separated by stained glass panels of flower and spider web motifs!

The following photos are gratefully borrowed from the Aronson-Manning Online Museum. I did not snap these.

Martin Aurand writes that this living room mosaic was inspired by Allen Klages and his love of travel and the sea.

Stained glass parrots live in two of the bedrooms

Carved mahogany dragons at the top of the stairs

Built-in china cabinet

Coat closet with stained glass butterflies

"Sewing room" balcony doors

Stained glass hibiscus in the mahogany dining room

The bathroom looks somewhat similar to one in the Parkstone Dwellings. Mercer tile (from the Moravian Tileworks), is shown here around the bath that adjoins the master bathroom. 

There are three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a sun room off the master bedroom.

Kitchen with original windows

Rear left

Rear second floor

Right side with entrance tower

According to Lowry's article, the kitchen was updated when it was purchased in 1994. (Those owners have since moved to Australia.) The original built-ins, like a refrigerator underneath a china cabinet, were removed. 

Here are first and second floor plans. You can see more on the house's Library of Congress site.

Click to enlarge!

Click to enlarge!

You can read the entire Post-Gazette article here:

Click to enlarge!

Click to enlarge!

From The Progressive Architecture of Frederick G. Scheibler:

In conclusion, Klages House owners, can I come over?

Harter House, 2557 Beechwood Boulevard house, garage and wall

Porter hitches a ride through Squirrel Hill.

Scheibler placed a beautiful wall around 2557 Beechwood Boulevard, which kept me from properly stalking it for you, but don't worry -- I dug up some more photos!

I wish I could get closer to the Harter House because it is enchanting and romantic -- a sibling to the Parkstone Dwellings (1922) for sure. This house was designed from 1922-1924 for Eva Harter, who encouraged Scheibler to indulge in what she called "doodads."

Martin Aurand quotes Baille Scott in a chapter about Scheibler's period of charming and effusive homes (and I love this):

"The natural reaction from the dry mechanical routine of modern life leads to a demand for romance in every form. In the form of fiction it supplies a retreat, an escape for the mind to an enchanted realm where thrilling deeds may be done without danger, and beautiful habitations enjoyed without expense. In the treatment of the house a more real and permanent haven may be secured. Here at least we may say there shall be no ugliness. On crossing this threshold we pass into charmed territory, where everything we possess shall be in harmony."

The Harter house sits back on a lawn, which a driveway that curves dramatically around it.

Aurand compares the roof to "mushroom caps," the wood shingling to moss and calls the house "a den in a Northern forest."

While the entrance is in the center of the facade, the porch is decidedly off-center. 

Below are two photos and a floor plan stolen from Martin Aurand's The Progressive Architecture of Frederick G. Scheibler, Jr.   He writes that construction of the house was long and brought substantial cost overruns. Scheibler insisted that the flooring be removed and replaced as it was inferior quality, and the "doodads" added up. Frank and Eva Harter developed cash flow problems soon after moving into the house (prohibition hurt Frank's business as liquor importer) and they were forced to sell it by 1925. What a star-crossed lovestory!

Aurand also writes that the interior has an "extraordinary array" of built-in cabinets and lamps, tiled fireplaces and art glass. The entry hall and dining room share a windowed wall of double doors and six large art glass panels depicting hollyhocks. Other art glass features birds, spider webs and, in the bedrooms, water lilies that transform dressing room mirrors into reflecting pools! Eagles and carved wood squirrels inhabit the house as well.

The overdecorated interior ended up being so artistic, expressive and playful that Eva complained of a lack of wall space for her furniture!

My heart aches to get inside this house.

Wow!

I sometimes joke that I'll know I made it when I finally own a washer and dryer. Imagine owning a breakfast room! 

Frank and Eva Harter commissioned this home, two summer homes on the New Jersey shore, a house at Conneaut and a couple of proposed homes in Switzerland, which never came to be.

....................................................

Update on June 6, 2013: 

This amazing home was listed for sale on June 3. The price listed is $929,000 and is described as follows:

Known as "The Mushroom House," this amazing residence has to be seen to be believed. Built in 1923 by the reknown architect Frederick Scheibler Jr, this home sits majestically on almost an acre of land just steps from Frick Park. Though it has fallen into some disrepair,all of the Scheibler fantastic details are intact. From the ash floors,mohaghany carved appointments,stained glass,and inlaid tiles this is a museum quality masterpiece.

Best of all, there are photos! What an amazing thrill!