(Bill Greene/ Globe Staff)
Home of the Week
Renovated Victorian retains historical touches
(Bill Greene/ Globe Staff)
This Queen Anne Victorian was built when Waltham was famous for the watches produced at a factory just down the street. Although the house has undergone major renovation — replastered ceilings, new exterior paint, new windows — it remains true to its era. The exterior is ornate, with lattices, arched windows, and a three-story turret, and the interior includes well-preserved period wallpaper and radiators that were pressure-washed and repainted silver. The house, built for Frank Wetherbee, dial foreman at the Waltham Watch Factory, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The front door opens into a wide foyer and hallway that leads to a turned stairway and the kitchen beyond. The walls of the hallway and the staircase are covered with a wallpaper called Lincrusta, embossed with intricate designs. The parlor to the right has a carved wooden fireplace and whimsical stained-glass windows. The long living room has more stained-glass windows and an arched sitting area in the base of the turret. The house’s original wallpaper, another ornate type called Anaglypta, remains in the dining room. Kitchen renovations include maple cabinets, a Thermador gas range, a breakfast island, and granite countertops.
The second floor holds three bedrooms, including the master bedroom, with new bamboo floors and another seating area in the turret. The master bath includes a large soaking tub with a stone top and a separate shower. The stairs to the third floor open up into an informal suite that includes the most interesting room in the house: the top of the turret, with an original painting on its coned ceiling.
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