Crown Hill House

 

1/19/22 Crown Hill neighborhood

When I was working on my series of Maple Leaf architectural styles, I almost always had to stand on the sidewalk across the street to get a good view of the house fronts. I can’t sketch much from my mobile studio unless I turn myself uncomfortably sideways, so I usually leave house sketching for warmer days.

Looking for a sketch in the Crown Hill neighborhood, I discovered a few residential streets that end at the cross street without going through. That means I can face the fronts of some houses while parked on the perpendicular street: Ideal winter sketching from my car. This green house with a blue roof caught my eye. The recessed area at the bottom of the stairway is the front entrance at street level, which is unusual for houses of this style. My guess is that it has been remodeled significantly, maybe to accommodate a resident who wanted easier access to the street. That tall tree at left? In a few months it will conceal most of the house, so I’m glad I caught this sketch now.