One April Award Gets Deserved Recognition
The owners of 1227 West Sherwood Terrace, Amy and Joe Henry, are constantly being thanked by neighbors and passers-by for the fine job they did changing a long vacant and sort of ugly house into a lovely home and, now, a true award winner. With their young children Eve, Gus and Walt AND their home's new curb appeal, they have really brought new life to the place.Longtime residents of the area, they took up the vacant home challenge in 2008. New windows, gutters and front stoop were a start, but it was the new paint that really woke up this sleeping beauty. Changing the paint from all drab brown to a great taupe and charcoal grey combination did the trick, making the roof look brand new and the garage less prominent.
Inside, every room got a redo but the fine architectural elements - wrought iron railing, fireplace, china cabinet - remain. The kitchen is worthy of a magazine spread... what a new kitchen in an old house should be. There are more projects in the future: a family room and wooden fencing and new landscaping for the outside. I suggested a great little flowing shrub named Itea 'Little Henry'. Henry, get it?Amy jokes that she knows someone on every Southwood Park street, but it's true that both she and Joe have been in Southwood Park for much of their lives. Joe says the neighborhood is the city's gem. I say his house is a gem too.--Pat Thomson
