Tiny white tiles and big soaking tubs
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Eric and Judy Fenton bought their home, also on University Street, in 1995. They live with their two sons, ages 11 and 16, in "The Whitehall," which is about 1,100 square feet.
The house is one of the large collection of Sears kit homes in Carlinville, Illinois.
As built, the living room was 10'6 by 16' and the adjoining dining room was 10' by 14'. A covered front porch measured 8 feet wide and 22 feet long. In the 1970's, the front porch was closed in, to create a small foyer and a larger dining room and living room.
The additional square footage came at a cost. The large bay window in the living room was taken out in the remodeling. The corresponding bay on the second floor, in the master bedroom, still remains.
An interesting feature in the Fenton home is the storage cabinet over the staircase. The 36" wide enclosed staircase off the living room has a 3' wide by 6' deep storage cabinet attached to the stairwell ceiling, with an original, albeit primitive, pull down ladder for access.
The attic has a pull down staircase, but the hip roof leaves only a small space. Wallboard, added many years ago, hides the rafter ends which should bear stamped numbers, the signature of a kit home.
The bathroom floor still has the trademark white and blue hexagon tile and the original Sears pedestal tub.
"It's a very deep tub," says Judy. "You don't usually find tubs that deep and I'm a soaker. No way I'm ever going to take out that tub."
The Fentons admit that their "Whitehall" feels a bit cramped at times, but they have no intention of moving in the near future. They figure that soon, the boys will be off to college and the house will be a perfect fit for the two of them.
Eric says, "We've been in some newer homes in this area and I would rather have this house. It is well built, has low utilities and we're in a good neighborhood and there is a lot of renovation going on out here."
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