Preservation Worcester's annual stroll features some of city's finest homes Dec. 2
By Lynne Klaft, Correspondent
WORCESTER — Leave the hustle and bustle behind for a few hours and experience the magic and wonderment of the holiday season by taking Preservation Worcester's tour of nine elegant homes.
The annual Holiday Stroll happens Dec. 2 from noon to 4 p.m. Carolers will add to the festivities, filling the air with seasonal music.
"It's a great way to see the exceptional architecture that is right here in our Worcester neighborhoods," said Deborah Packard, executive director of preservation Worcester.
Steve Taviner, a nonprofit consultant, and Matthias Waschek, director of Worcester Art Museum, are opening their home to visitors in the Forest Grove neighborhood.
Known as the Mountain House, the home is a circa 1910 Dutch Colonial the couple renovated and updated over a two-year period.
Prominent Worcester lawyer Thomas Mountain raised his family in the home for 50 years.
"We feel privileged to live in such a home," said Taviner. He added that they have respected the historical nature of the house while incorporating their own vision, collection of art and furniture.
Boston architect and design consultant Seth Wiseman worked with them to renovate and modernize the home's large and generous spaces.
The modern kitchen flows into the dining room and living room in the front of the house, around to a cozy study and back to the kitchen area where a laundry chute was re-utilized into a bookshelf for Taviner's extensive cookbook collection.
A glowing moose head catches the eye (look for the "314" bling around its neck and ask for the story of the moose head's provenance and what "314" signifies).
All of the living spaces are lovingly decorated with local Worcester art and photography, a "mish-mash" of antiques collected from a lifetime of travel — from Russia, Norway and Paris to the historic district of Saint Louis.
"We are huge supporters of Worcester Preservation, and it was our pleasure to offer our home for the tour," said Waschek, as he pointed out a white rhino sculpture that caught their attention. "It was created by a WPI student; it won first prize at the annual college art show," he said.
The stroll includes a wide variety of architectural styles — Craftsman, Queen Anne, Ranch, Shingle, Arts and Crafts — built from 1879 to 1954.
"One of the houses, Queen Anne style, was designed and built in 1879 by prominent Worcester architect Stephen C. Earle. Several of the homes have impressive art collections," said Packard. All of the homes will be decorated to invoke the best of the holiday spirit.
Preservation Worcester is a private, not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to the preservation of buildings and sites that represent the culture, history and architecture of the city.
Tickets for the Holiday Stroll are $30; $25 for members. For tickets, call 508-754-8760 or visit www.preservationworcester.org.