#346 - "Hobbit House" in Sacramento

Storybook House from 1944

I loved the idea of staying in a charming cottage, but I this VRBO house (nicknamed Hobbit House) was out of our price range.

But... Don and I weren't looking for just ourselves. We were planning a long weekend celebration in Sacramento and we needed a space that would sleep 5!  

​We had good reason to spend more for this historic Storybook-style home. 

Our daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter would be staying with us!  What 4-year-old wouldn't be delighted to stay in a house that appears to be right out of a fairytale? We booked!

Welcome!

Don and I arrived first, on a sunny afternoon in early March. The curvy shake roof with moss and vines, delighted me.

The wood door surrounded by triple arches, had curious surprises! The mail slot was easy to miss. The slot's (low!) location would make even a young mail carrier wince.

The mysterious door-knocker/peep-hole was placed comically high. I didn't notice the teeny knocker at first.

I eventually spotted the peep hole, on the inside of the door.

​No hobbit could see out of that high hole! I could though, if I got up on my toes.

The entryway itself, was storybook perfect. The brick, tile & iron stairway made me picture Cinderella, minus the ballgown. I could imagine her heading up, with a wooden bucket and broom.

​First Glimpse

To the right of the entry, we moved into a spacious living area. It was even more inviting than the website photos. Or my photos.

There was much to take in at first glance, but my eyes were quickly drawn to the loft above. Was that an image of Carr Jones, staring  down from the brick wall? I'd read about Mr. Jones, the gifted architect who designed the home in 1944.

Carr Jones... Steve Jobs?

A closer look showed me it was Thomas Edison. This promotional "Think Different" poster from 1997, was part of a campaign created by Apple. 

It was a odd piece of art for the storybook cottage. However, there was an interesting connection between inventor/investor Steve Jobs and architect Carr Jones.

The Carr & Steve Connection

On the coffee table, I found some books for guests to enjoy. I read just a bit and learned that Storybook houses became a thing in California, in the '20s and '30s. 

Carr Jones was one of the leading architects using this whimsical style. I'm guessing he never met Steve Jobs, since the architect died in 1965, when young Steve was just 10. But Jobs became a big fan of Carr Jones and bought one of his house creations, in Palo Alto.

Sustainable Home

Stepping into the front living area, we were surrounded by wood, brick and tile. 

Carr Jones was ahead of his time when he crafted this home 8 decades ago. All of the building materials were reused and recycled.

​Bricks were repurposed, from buildings that were destroyed in the 1908 San Francisco earthquake. 

Much of the wood came from old ships.

I read that old anchor chains provided metal...​

...which made me wonder about the iron banister.

​Eerie Iron

There was quite a display of iron around the fireplace, at the far end of the living area. This iron did not come from anchors. 

There were about 8 ankle shackles, chained to the brick around the fireplace.

This was jolting to see. I was only slightly relieved to know they were related to a prison, not slavery. 

Carr Jones was known for the whimsical details he added to his designs. But we can assume this creepy surprise was not his idea.

Folsom Prison Warden

This home was originally commissioned by a warden of Folsom Prison. I could find no info on the warden who lived here. Why the prison decor? Was this a humorous attempt to use recycled materials? I had questions.

Did the warden put these in later, or did he ask Jones to install them?

And what about these peep holes and sliding metal doors, built into the cabinet doors? I tried not to visualize the cells where they'd once been used.

I slid open one of unlocked rectangles and spotted boxed games. I opened one of the narrow doors and found puzzles and other things, for guests to enjoy. I was glad our 4-year-old granddaughter was too young to ask about any of this.

Changing Focus with Chairs

Luckily the prison accents were confined to that corner. There was lots of positive stuff to focus on, like all the furnishings. I love unusual chairs! 

These are just a few of the unique styles. Like Goldilocks, I tried them all! I think the red chair is my favorite!

Cooking Options

Instead of lounging in chairs, we could been productive and cooked up some feasts in the kitchen space.

I did scramble some eggs one morning, since our thoughtful host had kindly left us eggs and butter! There have been kitchen updates obviously, but the island with built in stove, is Jones' original design. He was ahead of his time when he embraced that idea.

Pool Table.... Warm Floor

Oddly, there was a pool table, where you'd expect to find a dining table. That worked fine for us, since we were having our meals elsewhere. Besides bar stools, there was an inviting patio table. But it was a little chilly out there.

If we'd been sitting around a dining table instead of standing around shooting pool, (in stocking feet) I might not have noticed the warm floors! Radiant heated floors! That's another perk of a Carr Jones house.

Curious Corner

The back corner had quite a fun set up, if you had plans for a cocktail party. Which is rarely allowed in house rentals.

I was curious about the horse, that took up some of the bar space. 

The horse was one of many unusual animals and characters displayed around the home. The pelican was my favorite.

I'm guessing these decorations came to live at the house, in later years. I so wish I could find photos of the original decor.

Gnome or Hobbit?

I found quite a few gnome figures. At least they look like gnomes. More elf like, than J.J.R. Tolkien's Hobbits.

There were a few bearded fellows behind the bar. 

There were 3 more on the mantle, in one of the guest rooms. 

The cozy cottage is nicknamed Hobbit House, but maybe it should have been called Gnome Home. I got curious about the difference and Googled. Hobbits have rounded ears. Gnomes have pointy ears, like elves. Both are small and human-like... 

Sleeping Loft

I think both hobbits and gnomes live in underground homes. So I doubt either would have wanted to hike up our staircase to our sleeping loft.

The charming staircase was an adventure for sure! Luckily there was proper lighting.

The Loft!

​I'd seen photos, but still felt surprised by all the details of this magical  sleeping space beneath the roof!

Don and I slept in the cozy loft and woke before dawn each morning. I loved our "alarm clock" of muffled whispers, rising up to our open loft. Our granddaughter Charlie was on Texas time. Raring to go bright and early!

The loft space was charming. Luckily Don fit through the arched doorway.

At over 6 feet, he was more in danger of falling over the edge of the low railing, than little Charlie.

That didn't mean we weren't stressed over her gleeful attempt to look over the rail, after climbing the stairs. She was only allowed to come up with an adult.

In the Loft

At the top of the stairs there was a funny wooden door that opened to the bathroom.

Clearly there's been a remodel since the '40s, but the white brick and wood ceiling helped me imagine the original look.

I loved the curved window, inside the half arch of brick. It looked (and sounded) like a very old window. The wind and outdoor sounds blew through cracks and rattled the frosted panes. 

The primitive door cracked me up. I presume, the unique peg-on-a-string once locked the door. Now it acts as a wedge, to keep the door from swinging open. 

There was a lot going on with the corner tub. 2 shower heads and lots of whirlpool jets! Charlie was pretty excited when she had her turn in the funny little swimming pool tub. My photo doesn't show just how tricky it was for anyone of my height or shorter, to climb into that thing!

Read and Write and Sleep

Just past the bathroom, was a little lounge space with 2 chairs. 

One for reading and one to hold your dress clothes, while you wrote a letter maybe.

​The king bed was amazingly comfy. There was a TV sitting on a nearby ledge.

Beside the TV shelf, there was a piece of art that totally delighted me.

The sweet faces of Madonna & Child brought back memories. I tried to explain to Don how phenomenal this was. "This is my all time favorite Madonna portrait!" I don't think he believed me.

I tried to explain that I saw about a million Madonna portraits in Italy, when I was a kid with my family. My siblings and I each had our favorite Madonna portraits. This one, (by Bartolome Murillo) was my favorite. I bought a postcard, so I wouldn't forget. I was happy to have these two in our sleeping loft.

​More Stuff

The long loft had one more sitting area, at the other end. Thomas Edison wasn't the only historic figure occupying that corner. 

Chief Tawonka, gazed outward. The words below his feet read, "We were free until we stopped fighting, now no one has freedom."  Hmmm...

Looking Down & Going Down

Mr. Edison & The Chief seemed to be keeping an eye on the loft AND the lower level. They could observe the front door activity. They could study the thick chains and wonder along with me, Are those chains really holding the loft up?

I was upstairs in the loft when Charlie, Heidi & Jamie first arrived. I dashed down those stairs, eager to greet. Charlie stepped inside and looked around grinning. After hugs and greetings she admitted she didn't ever know Gramma & Pop Pop had another house! I so wish.

The Back House

After exploring the Hobbit House, it was time to show the others where they'd be sleeping. The Hobbit House is a 2 house set up! We headed for one of the doors in the glass wall.

Both houses have huge windows and glass doors, looking out towards the courtyard and pool.

We stepped out the covered area with the patio table.

We walked around the edge of the pool, towards the 1-story building. The building looked more like a '60s ranch house. But once inside, the brick, wood & tile details seemed to match the era of the 2-story cottage.

The cozy guest room felt open and bright with floor to ceiling glass and views of the courtyard.

A door near the fireplace, led to a colorful bathroom.

​The red painted brick and sloped wood ceiling, could have made the bathroom a little claustrophobic. But frosted glass windows over the sink, brought in lots of light. 

The mirror over the toilet made me chuckle. Shaving or hair-drying could be a little more challenging. But adjusting routine is part of the fun of travel!

Sitting Room

I loved the sitting room, between the bath and the other bedroom. A fireplace with vintage red seating! 

An entire wall of windows on one side and a mirrored wall on the other. Plus an electric keyboard, which Charlie and I enjoyed!

Sideways Shotgun

​From the sitting area, there a hall space with storage, that led to another guest room and half-bath.

This sweet room (with dog lamp and kitty plate) is where Charlie slept. What a curious set up, with side-by-side rooms. I've been in a few shotgun houses, but none like this!

The Courtyard

Oh how I wish we'd had more time and some summery weather, to make use of this little oasis.

The landscaping was just about ready to come to life with spring growth. A water fountain trickled nearby, inviting a few birds. 

The water was too cold for swimming, but we did make a some use of the patio seating, in the afternoon.

The patio table had chairs for 8...

... and party lights. What a perfect set up for summer gatherings.

​Communication

We never met our host Julie, but she was quick to respond when we had an issue with the hot water heater. All was quickly fixed while we were out. We found  a nice surprise waiting, when we returned. Apple Tart! 

Julie was also quick to answer, when Don asked for permission to invite more family to the house. We got our okay and also got a huge congratulations, when Julie learned we were expecting another grandchild!

The Reason We Gathered

This image hints at what our focus was about during our weekend stay. Our son and daughter-in-law who live in Sacramento, are expecting in May! 

Our weekend was full of celebrating! After gathering with others for baby showers and meals, it was a treat to bring family back to the Hobbit House. 

Cozy Warm

We only had a few days, so we couldn't make use of everything. We didn't try out the steam room or the hot tub or pool. 

But we made use of the fireplace a couple of nights.

Sharing a Notable Night of Two
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Since becoming empty nesters, (nearly 2 decades ago)  Don and I have enjoyed some unusual hotels and inns. The kids are always happy to hear our amusing stories, about the odd or creepy, mysterious or comical places that we've discovered.

It was fun to enjoy a few notable nights, along with the kids this time.  What a treat to share the experience, not just the stories. 

​What's Notable?

Our 4 nights in the Storybook House felt magical. The unique history behind the architect and even the first owner, all added to the flavor of our stay.

Sleeping in cozy house, in a cozy old Sacramento neighborhood was nice enough. Enjoying the curious place along with family, made it even more special. I hope to do it again!
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