Kitchen designed by Anne De Wolf

Project Manager: the homeowner

Project team: Stephyn Meiner, Richard De Wolf, Sam Gray, Jake Hawkins, Bri Johnson, Quenten King, Noah Shultz

Neighborhood: Mt. Tabor

ARCIFORM collaborated with the homeowner of the Jacob H. Cook House, also known as The Christmas House (owing to the previous owner’s extensive Christmas decorations), and most recently as Walter, to repair and preserve as much of the original character and integrity as possible. The aim was to turn this once single-family home into an Airbnb and event space for the community.

The home was built in 1892-3 in the Queen Anne Victorian style. Jacob H. Cook, a local businessman and owner of lumber operations, bought the home in 1904. In 1909, he undertook a major renovation, adding balconies, porches and massive basalt chimneys, turning the house into the Neoclassical style you see today. The interior has characteristics of the Arts and Crafts and Colonial styles with quarter sawn Oak and Mahogany millwork throughout and 6 tiled fireplaces, 3 with rare original Rookwood tile. Original aspects of the house were restored, repaired and refinished to the extent possible.

A casualty of the 2008 financial crisis, the house had been vacant and badly vandalized for 8 years before it was sold at auction in 2018. While the house sustained a lot of damage and decay, most of the original millwork and all the leaded glass remained in great condition. The team rolled up their sleeves and went to work.