Tuscan touches lend intimacy to tradition in Hartland home

First impressions carry a lot of weight when forming an opinion about a home. Ann Shannon remembers what initially attracted her to 2208 Harkaway Place.

“It says traditional Lexington to me,” says Ann Shannon. “There’s so much charm and character in the workmanship and detailed moldings and marble. I especially like all the natural light. You can stand in any room and get a nice window to all the outdoor greenery.”

Adding to the charm is the popular Hartland neighborhood itself – well-established and well-manicured.

“The lot sizes here are nice, you’re not right on top of each other here,” says Ann, a Lexington real estate agent who has lived in the 5,197 square foot home for the past six years along with husband Don. “It’s great to have mature trees. We’ve got two big poplars that are just gorgeous.”

“This was a different house when we bought it,” Ann says of the five bedroom, three and a half bath home. “It was covered in real outdated wallpaper. It was probably hard for people to imagine what it could be.”

The entry features leaded glass sidelights and transom. A two story tiled foyer opens to a half turn staircase to the second level. To the right is the dining room with a butler’s pantry leading to the kitchen. To the left is the living room which opens into the den at the back. Off the den is a sunroom.

“The sunroom is my favorite room I’ve ever had in my whole life,” Ann says of the cathedral ceilinged room. “It’s just a really pretty, quiet soft room with so a lot of light. The previous owners used this as an office, but I really wanted a sunroom.”

Throughout the home there is a comfortable, slightly rustic broken-in look reminiscent of the Old World. “That’s my style of decorating,” Ann says. “Between Tuscan and Old World. I’ve always loved that look. It’s what I’m drawn to.”

Ann and Don were the owners of the home furnishing store known as Elegant Interiors on Tiverton Way. When it was time to renovate the kitchen, Ann was ready to wield her design sense.

“We’ve done a lot of work to the kitchen,” Ann says. “It was almost a complete gut. A warm Tuscan feel comes through in the many added features – soft brick accent walls, granite from Brazil, lighting, glazed lighted cabinetry, and travertine backsplash.

New stainless steel appliances were installed, and the existing electric range was replaced with a Jen-Air gas stove.

The diagonally laid oak hardwood floor makes a strong and energetic statement which carries through much of the home.

Four bedrooms are upstairs, including the master suite which has a sitting room and fireplace. The finished basement is loaded with windows and has a family room, bedroom, full bath and loads of storage.

“When cold weather hits, I’m down here on the couch with a fire lit,” says Don, a banker. “It’s a great place to catch up on NFL football or baseball.”

Among the many other standout features of the home are two cedar storage closets — one in the basement and one off the master. A private screened in porch off the main level features tongue and groove knotty pine on the ceiling.

Don also enjoys the security and quiet of the Pella replacement windows throughout the house. “Whoever owns this house will never have to replace the windows,” Don said.

Ann and Don foresee in their future a home with a first floor master suite. They’re not sure where they’re headed yet, but they’re actively looking. “There’s just so much in this house that we don’t use,” Ann said.

This story was originally published November 12, 2017 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Tuscan touches lend intimacy to tradition in Hartland home."