by John Griffin
Hallwood is one of my favorite
streets in the Vollintine-Evergreen area. It runs just north of the Rhodes
campus and winds over and around a hilly terrain that makes you wonder if
you're still in Memphis. The street has the same feel as Hein Park and Morningside
Place, so it's not surprising to realize they are from the same era. Each
was intended with their wandering streets to be a romantic, rural relief
from the city's more rigid grid.
The vast majority of houses are large, single-family dwellings from the 1920s and 1930s. These homes have been prized and well-maintained by the mix of families both professional and academic that have settled here. Tudor and Colonial Revivals seem to be the predominant styles. This residence, though later in construction, is a simplified Georgian and thus blends well in style, as well as scale, with its neighbors.
Only two duplexes were belatedly constructed on this street. Though I'm sure this unit began as matching halves, a large den was appended quite some time ago to the western half. This larger space, with its private courtyard patio and shady lawn, has been owner-occupied for a long time. This is rather a nice distinction for a duplex a result, most likely, of these two halves being separate but unequal.
Both sides have a comfortable living room stretching across the front and a large opening to a central dining room. It is from this central space that the staircase connects to the upper floor. The kitchen enjoys a spacious galley layout and has been updated with new cabinets, countertops, and appliances.
Upstairs there's a bedroom front and back, allowing each to occupy a corner with windows on two sides. The only thing better could be windows in three directions. The bath is large and features a simple black-and-white ceramic-tile floor and high wainscot around the walls. Nice improvements include a solid-surfaced vanity top with integral sink that resembles granite, a wall of mirrors, and tracklights.
The delight and selling point (besides having half your house note paid by the smaller half of the duplex, which leases for $550 per month) is the added family room. This has a wood-burning fireplace, lots of built-in bookcases, and another full bath. Both the dining room and the kitchen have been opened up completely to this space, making it function as the great room so popular in new housing today.
Light pours in from opposite sides of this spacious room from windows overlooking diverse garden layouts. To one side is a sunny, formal garden with brick walks through symmetrical beds. In the other direction is a shady, two-level courtyard that, with mature trees to the south and west, is a perfect retreat in the late afternoon. A small, round fishpond is the focus here. Beyond this, a rambling fenced side yard offers shaded gardening opportunities while providing, most importantly, a long vista of greenery from inside.
It's hard not to love the dense sweep of greenery surrounding this residence on the side and rear that deepens the space psychology. The front is lawn with a dense planting of azaleas near the house. Young trees planted out front in the lawn will provide shade for the next several generations along this quiet, charming street.
2019/2021 Hallwood Drive
Approximately 3,200 square feet
4 bdrm, 3 bath; $119,000
Realtor: The Hobson Co., 761-1622
Agent: Mary Frances Pitts