When touring vintage local homes, one often sees beautiful details giving the house that special “Old Florida” look. One of these details is the use of pecky cypress which is not seen as often in the newer built homes.
Lucky me, I have the opportunity to work on a special house. It is a house of my dreams as it is old, loaded with charm and beautiful finishes, notably pecky cypress, that you only see in a vintage home. This unique wood is used throughout the house in ceilings, doors, and accents.
A gorgeous pecky cypress ceiling is the star of this vintage Florida house.
The living room is “one of the most beautiful in Winter Park” said a local realtor about this room seen above. The ceiling is unforgettable. The pecky cypress is beautiful with its long crevices. (Read this to understand the cause of this distinctive feature.) What really sets the ceiling apart, however, is the trusses with the decorative wood overlay. I would love to see this type of detail used in today’s homes as it isn’t that difficult to achieve. The new addition to this home will repeat this wood overlay to help blend the new part of the house with the original.
Heavily textured plastered walls add to the enchantment of this singular living room.
The arches cut into the plaster is another distinctive feature of this room along with the heavily textured wall surface.
Arches, crests, and balusters continue the indulgence of charm in this old Florida home.
Good-looking balusters were added at one point to the former window opening looking into the now enclosed porch.
A unique window looks out onto an expansive green lawn and a podocarpus wall.
This unique window layout with pecky pilasters will be recreated in the new family room.
Original dining room details.
What a joy to see a house largely untouched. This dining room door with its original hinges and hardware opens to a small closet under the stairs. The old swinging door with a window leading into the kitchen is also made of pecky cypress. Other original treasures in the room are the air vent angled out from the wall with a fish scale patterned grill and a servant bell. The owner had to explain to his children the purpose of a button set into the middle of the dining room floor.
No flashy descents to the lower floor with this inconspicuous staircase.
A subtly seductive stairway leads to the bedrooms above.
Practical yet beautiful transoms should be in every Florida house.
The heavily textured plaster carries up the stairs to the landing. The finish transitions to smooth inside the bedrooms. Transoms open over the doors to help circulate air in this hot Florida climate.
On the rare cold night, this beautiful fireplace will warm up anyone fortunate enough to be sitting in its proximity.
An ornate fireplace surround is one note of extravagance in this otherwise understated house. A lovely tile hearth raises the fireplace off of the floor slightly.
I was stunned to learn that this gorgeous perfect house was actually a spec when it was built. Amazing.
Casa V can help you add a suitable addition to your vintage home.