PRESERVING AN AUTHOR’S ROOTS ; HISTORIC HOME RETAINS TRACES OF AUTHOR JOAN DIDION AND HER FAMILY [Topeka Capital Journal (KS)]
By Debbie Arrington; Debbie Arrington SACRAMENTO BEE | |
Proquest LLC |
Perched several feet above its surrounding streets, its white- columned porch beckons passers-by to stop and visit. Inside, its large picture windows frame the lush green views while flooding the rooms with light. The redwood paneling gleams.
Tucked under the staircase and around corners are built-in benches and cubbyholes with room for refuge and daydreams.
Located at the corner of
"It's truly an amazing house," said
Winner of two National Book Awards, Didion helped sell the house - - although she had no direct hand in the deal.
Its current owners,
"This is my husband's dream home,"
"I'm an English major," she added. "I fell in love with the fact that it was
Through thoughtful remodeling, the couple brought the historic home into the 21st century while making it all look original.
Plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems all got high-tech upgrades. "Green" insulation was installed. The modern kitchen area combines three former rooms (including a butler pantry and service porch) into the right size for family dining and entertaining. The attic became a state-of-the-art media room with components tucked behind paneling.
"We love to entertain and now we have the room," Dolan said. "We borrowed touches (from throughout the house) so it feels like it's always been there."
The Didion House has always blended styles and eras. So do the surrounding homes.
Its midtown neighborhood's nickname ironically refers to a time when poor
Before
The name "didn't stick," said
The three-story, 7,000-square-foot Didion House was commissioned in 1910 by pioneer
The Didion family bought the house in the late 1940s.
"I can imagine Joan, sitting here, reading or writing," said Dolan, as she gazed out the window tucked below the staircase.
Joan's bedroom was in the southeast corner. But much of the home appears from an era long before her stay.
Period antiques are everywhere. The dining room is papered with its original "Tiffany velvet," deep-olive-green cloth that was popular when the home was new. Leatherlike covering textures the entryway walls and up the copper-capped staircase.
Mrs. Didion collected antiques and items that caught her eye. She accumulated a large assortment of glass lamp globes and shades. The bedrooms feature 8-foot, gilt-framed mirrors salvaged from a department store.
Many of Genevieve's furnishings came with the house, Dolan said.
"She left some amazing things," she added. "I kept finding all these goodies in the basement."
It's all here now, lovingly displayed by the Dolans.
Said Dolan, "I think the Didions would be happy."
SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE
Copyright: | (c) 2012 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. |
Wordcount: | 717 |
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