When it was first built in 1921, 2 Longfellow Ln. was home to David D. Peden, president of the Peden Iron and Steel Company. His company was the largest hardware and supply house in the Southwest at the time, and this manor house clearly reflected that prestige.
Built by Harrie T. Lindeberg and John Staub, the home is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. It's on the market for $12.2 million, represented by Douglas Elliman.
Architecture aficionados know that Staub, who relocated to Houston from New York, is one of the most significant names in Bayou City architecture history. He is most known for Bayou Bend, former home of Ima Hogg, and now part of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Staub designed homes throughout the 1920s and '30s in Houston's Shadyside, River Oaks, West Eleventh Place, Waverly Court, and Shadowlawn neighborhoods. Lindeberg, meanwhile, created a name for himself by designing homes in the English manor style.
Their collaboration endures at 2 Longfellow Ln., a five-bedroom, six-bathroom home that sprawls across more than 12,000 square feet. Located just off Main Street, directly across from Hermann Park and adjacent to Rice University, this estate is close to the heart of Houston, while still offering an oasis of privacy and elegant living that feels far from the city's clamor.
Exquisite details abound throughout the home, which features Tudor ceilings in the library, leather walls and ceilings in the gun room, hand-carved paneling in the dining room, a wool-and-silk-blend carpet in the living room, and feather-trimmed draperies in the Gracie Room.
Embedded among these historic and timeless details are thoughtful modern amenities such as a mosquito system throughout the property, slate roofs on the main house and its carriage house, steam system in the guest shower, and an invisible dog fence.
The estate offers a stunning combination of Old World charm and modern grace. There are seven fireplaces, six of which are original to the home and hand-carved. The seventh, in the governess suite, is new. An eye-popping kitchen boasts gorgeous wood cabinets by Woodland Artisan Cabinetry, Swarovski crystals embedded in the custom Edgar Berebi hardware, a wine room door with semi-antique glass, a stainless-steel drawer for bread storage, two BOSCH Eco-Sense dishwashers with paneled fronts, a Subzero refrigerator and freezer, a Thermador Professional convection oven and microwave, and a 48-inch Wolf range. Centering the kitchen is a pewter-topped island, whose beauty has only deepened with age.
The dining room easily holds a table to seat 12, perfect for entertaining. It also features lined and interlined stationary panels with hand-carved Pelmet headers and decorative hold backs. Striking hardwood floors echo the home's 1920s past. Many of 2 Longfellow Ln.'s furniture pieces are custom made in Italy by Artitalia, and there are several pieces by Ebanista and Chippendale.
The grounds are exquisitely kept, from the manicured lawn sweeping across the backyard to the plant-covered walls throughout the estate. A backyard pool is a centerpiece for gatherings, as are the home's canopied patio and screened-in sunroom.
Those with a love of history who crave creature comforts along with the grace of a bygone era will love 2 Longfellow Ln. This nearly century-old estate has been synonymous with elegant style for generations; as it enters its second century, it will continue to do so.
Note the detail on the ceiling.
