There’s a thing about houses that the market, as a whole, often forgets. In the pursuit of function over form, the market hastily changes the classic lake homes of Lake Geneva into the thing they need most on that given day. If the house is terrific but the kitchen is small, no matter, I’ll just add an obtuse addition over here to make the kitchen big. Never mind that I ruined the symmetry that the original architect and builder strived so hard to achieve, at least now I can cook properly with my 60″ range. If the house is amazing but it needs another bedroom, this is also easy to fix. We’ll just add a big master suite addition up over the garage, but because of height restrictions we’ll need to make that roof pitched at a soft 5:12, which will clash mightily with the original 12:12 gable, but even so, now I have a big bath tub so who is the real winner here? No one. We’re all losers. In the pursuit of the immediate fix, the classic cottages of Lake Geneva are being bastardized. Pedigree and preservation matter.
I’m sorry if you read that and felt some level of guilt. It’s not really your fault, it’s the fault of society. Imagine, if you would, a vintage house with generous ladles of charm that has, somehow, miraculously, avoided this common fate. Imagine a home that was built in 1931 and in 2020 retains nearly every ounce of its original pedigree. Imagine a house that has steel windows, double course brick walls, original hardwood floors, and the original masonry fireplace. Imagine a house that has been updated to fit the times, but not butchered in the process. If you’ve been imaging the house pictured above, then all of this has worked, and you’ve discovered the handsome English Tudor at 1591 Orchard Lane in the Lake Geneva Manor. In a predictable stroke of luck, that home is available for purchase today.
The decision to sell this home didn’t come easily for the owner. There is an attachment to this home that can only reflect positively on the home itself. The owner felt as though they were the steward of this classic lake home, and took that ownership charge seriously. Alas, an out of region job switch has brought this property to market, and the home is now in search of its next owner. With those remarkable details and an incredibly rare double lot (add a pool, perhaps?) it shouldn’t be difficult to imagine yourself in this house. Stroll to the lake. Walk to town. Enjoy life in this well maintained home that you’ll feel honored to own. $899,900