Ed and Lesle Pietraniec love their Lombard Avenue home as much today as when they moved in back in 1990.
The charming Tudor bungalow dates to1927, which shows in its spacious, Craftsman-style porch, where the Pietraniecs relax on a swing or chairs on a crisp autumn day.
โNow that we are retired, we use it a lot more than we were working,โ says Lesle, who was a medical technologist for Deaconess Health System. Ed was a product development director at Berry Global.
The porchโs look is distinct for its stone and angular patterned brick above the entrance. โItโs just a nice decorative feature,โ Lesle says. โThe diamond-shaped pattern on all of the brick is a very interesting architectural feature that you rarely see on other homes from that era.โ
The Pietraniecs raised their three sons in this house, which stands a bit detached from the East Sideโs other clutches of Tudors.
The propertyโs curbside look hasnโt changed much over the familyโs nearly 35 years there โ except when a severe storm about five years ago toppled a pair of 70-foot oak trees out front. The Pietraniecs seized the opportunity to repave the sidewalk and driveway.
Ed and Lesle enjoy their sunroom, noticeable because of its arched windows. The second floorโs dormer windows and timbered trim add to the distinct look.
Red tile caps along each ridge of the roof are original, Lesle says, โand we decided to have them reinstalled when the roof was replaced. They add a majestic look to the home, and we wanted to keep that appearance.โ
Not every decorative element is on the house. A hexagonal aluminum gas lamppost stands sentry at the sidewalk, poking out from a clutch of panicled hydrangeas, Russian sage, and coral garden roses.
The Pietraniecsโ favorite exterior features? โThe arches in the windows and on the porch,โ Lesle says, โand the style โ the end pillars of the house.โ
Ed loves โthe classic architectural design and great neighborhood,โ he adds.
