May 30, 2014
By Anca Gagiuc, Associate Editor
The house located at 1208 Newning Avenue in Austin’s Fairview Park subdivision is on sale for $1.35 million, down from $1.5 million. The building is a City of Austin Historic Landmark for its perfect representation of a Victorian era Queen Anne Cottage.
Built in 1886 by Virginia Alma Day Wilkins and her husband Frank Wilkins, the house was lovingly and meticulously restored from the studs in 2005. The Wilkins-Heath property looks like new, yet the charm and essence of its original glory has been perfectly preserved.
The house sits on 0.33 acres, encompassing 2,466 square feet and features two living areas, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a formal dining room. A powder room is downstairs and the full master suite with a large sitting room that could easily become an office, reading, or yoga room on the second floor. The backyard is a certified Backyard Wildlife Habitat, wonderfully maintained by the current owner Melanie Martinez, an organic gardener into natives.
All details have been carefully brought back to life, from the exterior paint that is representative not only of the era but the area as in this part of Texas earth-toned colors were mostly used. Candace Volz, Historic Interiors specialist who was part of the State Capital restoration team, tracked down the wallpaper in the house, a wonderful period reproduction. Bill Breaux refinished the woodwork throughout the interior, using salvaged wood for any new window and shutter. All pieces of hardware – doorknobs to transom window cranks – are original, refurbished at Cirecast in San Francisco.
Photo courtesy of Wilkins-Heath House Facebook Page.
Tags: Acquisitions/Dispositions, Architecture/Design, Austin, Austin Lead Story, Backyard Wildlife Habitat, Brokers, City of Austin Historic Landmark, Consumer, Finance/Investment, Investors, Local, National, Owners, Professional, Queen Anne Cottage, Regional, residential, single-family, Victorian era, Wilkins-Heath House