255 Brighton Rd.

Theresa Gallick purchased this iconic home in 2000. Architecturally, it is a quintessential Craftsman (Arts and Crafts). The lines of this house and the materials that were used (stone, stucco, and wood shingles) give it a rustic, natural appearance.

The home was built circa 1913 by Walter Straw, a prominent Bellevue builder. Walter was quoted as saying, “I used the finest materials and the most advanced building techniques to build this house.” The house is poured concrete (first floor walls are almost 12 inches thick). The concrete is roughed up to look like stucco on the 1st floor. The leaded glass in the front door is not original. The original glass was a piece of thick, beveled clear glass. Theresa wanted light coming from the front door, but wanted privacy. She has saved the original glass in case a future owner wants to re-install it.

The left side of the entry room, with bookshelves and built in benches, is known as an Inglenook. Note the green ceramic hearth. A fireplace used to be in the middle of this space. There are two hidden cabinets behind false

panels in this area. We won’t say where.

The huge fireplace in the living room is a duplicate of one that appears at Stickley Farms in Parsippany, NJ. The green tile on the fireplace may have been manufactured by Grueby, and the brass trim on the edges of the fireplace along with the iron scrollwork supporting the mantel are original.

The dining room features a cove ceiling and built in cabinetry, with leaded glass that echoes the diamond pattern seen in the exterior windows. The built-ins still have their dolphin topped brass keys.

The current owner removed a wall separating the kitchen and butler’s pantry to create a vintage kitchen featuring original pine floors and open shelves.

The top hallway is spacious and has four generous bedrooms, the main bath, and the attic access radiating from it. The third floor finished attic, originally used as servant quarters, has a wide staircase leading to it, and is currently used as kids’ hangout room.

The finished basement boasts built in furniture by Craig Marcus, and the downstairs guest room houses original Stickley pieces from the 1920s.

Theresa did extensive plantings and hardscapes to create a bucolic outside space. The garage in back of the property was built in 2002, but designed to respect the look of the house.