A Home with History September

78 spokanecda.com • SEPTEMBER • 2015 spokanecda.com • SEPTEMBER • 2015 79
by Hanna Martin
photos courtesy of Nancy Wynia,
Windermere Real Estate
A Home with
History
The beautiful neighborhood, with lush greenery
and open park spaces, in which this house
is located, was designed by the Olmstead
Brothers, whose father famously designed
Central Park in NewYork City.

spokanecda.com • SEPTEMBER • 2015 81
Whether it is a tale rich in history, a detailed
architectural account or memories centered
on family, every house holds a story. This
1913 Tudor-style mansion on Rockwood
Boulevard is 7,924 square feet of stories.
Located in the Rockwood Historic
District and recognized by the National
Historic Register, this home represents
the birth of Spokane’s historical and
architectural prominence. The Olmstead
Brothers designed the layout of the
neighborhood, aided by Jay P. Graves
and Aubrey White, who contributed to
the project by investing in real estate
and championing parks in the area. The
Olmstead Brothers worked to continue
the legacy of their father, who designed
Central Park in New York City. They valued
the work of God over the work of man,
and aimed to include more of nature than
of structure in their projects. That is why
Rockwood Boulevard is a windy, shady
street, lined by grassy areas and leafy trees.
This specific house was designed and
built by Hyslop Architecture, which had
an outside vision for the structure. The
interior design came after the exterior was
perfected, which is why there are several
interesting, seemingly random nooks inside.
As the current homeowners say, “function
followed form.”
Windows in the
stairway overlook
the elegant
grounds on which
the house sits.

spokanecda.com • SEPTEMBER • 2015 83
The first owner of the house was the
McGoldrick family, of McGoldrick Lumber,
one of the major employers of Spokane
back in 1905. It is estimated that they paid
less than $20,000 for the unfurnished
house, and used their own lumber to build
cabinetry and furniture.
Over the ensuing century, the house
passed from hand to hand. It aged and
desperately needed a loving hand willing
to put in the work to restore the historical
value to the house.
Nowadays, the home of Corey and
Elisabeth Colvin emerges from the plant
life in a burst of brick and stucco. A low
rock wall encircles the property, and a
topiary hedge lines the pathway to the front
door. I hear soft music playing inside the
house as I walk along the shady path. Upon
entering the house, I am overwhelmed by
its grandeur. Corey and Lisa Colvin have
spent the last six years actively refurbishing
the antiquated home. “It’s a new house in an
old body,” they say.
The Colvins did extensive work on every
room in the house. Though they bought the
property with the intention of a renovation,
they did not realize how much work was in
store for them. Lisa explains that problems
arose at every turn. Opening up the walls
of the home showed that extreme measures
needed to be taken to ensure the security
and functionality of the home. Though
costly and time-consuming, it proved to
be a blessing in disguise. Air conditioning,
entirely new high-pressure plumbing and a
house-wide sound system were embedded
into the bones of the house. Instead of using
drywall, the Colvins honored the age of the
house by plastering the walls. It took three
years to finish the walls, but the result is one
of smooth, sturdy perfection.
The Colvin’s commitment to doing
things the right way and to honoring
The ceiling is painted to re-
semble a sky, and the color
was custom designed by
one of Lisa’s friends.

84 spokanecda.com • SEPTEMBER • 2015
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followed by their rescued dog, Daisy.
We begin the tour in the kitchen, which opens into an eating area
and casual living room. Stainless steel appliances are hidden behind
dark, wood-paneled cabinetry, which keeps the house looking
antique while retaining modern convention. Rainforest marble
makes up the counter space, gleaming in the sunlight that shines
through the windows. A fireplace outlined with a custom wood
mantle warms the room in the winter months. The Colvins planned
the open room as a central space for entertaining guests and family
alike. It’s the place were family memories are made. In the past
year, the room has seen birthday parties, holiday celebrations, baby
showers and two weddings.
Just off the kitchen are a separate breakfast nook, a water closet,
and a full bathroom. When the Colvins purchased the house, it only
had two and a half bathrooms, but now there are a total of six. One
The kitchen’s wood-paneled cabinetry, keeps the house looking antique while retaining modern convention.

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is crisp and white, the other a mix of sea
foam green and white with a little ceramic
owl sitting at the sink. We traipse down
the hallway, pausing to admire the arched
doorway that used to act as a carriage
entrance. The Colvins have kept the wide
arch to pay tribute to its old function.
What is deemed “the media room” by the
Colvins is their favorite space in the entire
house – and I can see why! In the original
house, several servants’ quarters occupied
the space that the Colvins used to create
this room. They combined the old quarters
and attached them to the main house.
Corey designed the room to resemble the
hull of a ship. Large bay windows let in lots
of natural light. Rich, dark wood lines the
room – knotty carved faces in the wood are
The blue sky of the ceiling, and large
windows make it feel as if you are
outdoors.

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reminiscent of mastheads. A blue marble
fireplace echoes the colors of one of the
most stunning features of the room – the
hand-painted ceiling. One of Elisabeth’s
friends worked to swirl together blues and
whites to create a realistic sky. Stained glass
covers the built-in shelves, depicting scenes
of ships on tossing waves. Though the
historic theme of the home is prominent
within the room, modern technology is
present as well. Wired for surround sound,
the room acts as a home theatre and video
game space.
We head to the other side of the house,
passing through a wainscoted formal dining
room, where a little library and study boast
yet another fireplace – this one completely
original. Green marble surrounds the
fireplace, and original tile work on one
side depicts a knight on horseback battling
with a dragon, and on the other, a ship
at sea. Glasswork in the shape of shields
was added to the cabinets, continuing the
medieval theme within the room. The owl
motif, found in the bathroom near the
kitchen, is continued here as well; figurines
are perched above the desk and on the
windowsill.
The formal living room follows,
containing blue velvet couches and a large
piano. Wrought iron chandeliers hang from
the ceiling, which are crossed with exposed
wooden beams. The Colvins have collected
light fixtures and large floor rugs for years,
with which they have furnished every room
in the house. Most of the light fixtures are
Rich wood frames the entrance to the rooms.

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original pieces, if not original to their home
specifically. The chandelier in the formal
dining room came from an old hotel, and
large letter ‘C’s make the piece perfect for
the Colvin family.
There is a little square room off the
living area, which Lisa says used to be the
reception room. A staircase with trefoil
decoration leads us to the second story
of the house, where all five bedrooms are
located. There is another staircase on the
other side of the house, with a globular
orange chandelier descending from the
same hand-painted sky as in the media
room.
Before reaching the master bedroom,
two rooms specifically designated as closet
space await. Large, seemingly stand-alone
wardrobes line the walls of these rooms,
each door dotted with an orange glass knob.
A pristine laundry room filled with light
granite and basket weave marble is easily
accessible across the hall from the closet
rooms. Another petite breakfast nook,
located just off the closets, provides early-
morning risers with a spot for coffee.
The spacious master suite is decorated
with green accents, which compliment the
gold-tiled fireplace. The master bathroom
was especially tricky to plan, according to
Lisa. She explains that the old piping was
raised from the floor, so that steps were
required to access the bathroom. The
Colvins sunk the piping, while still allowing
room for a multi-headed shower and fancy
A view down the hall showcases the detail
found in the home, even in the doorways.

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tub. Their next issue was with the double sinks; they could not
spare any of the windows to compensate for the space required
by a dual vanity. Eventually the Colvins established two
separate sinks on either side of the windows, and are happy
with their decision. Fluted tile acts as wainscoting. The master
suite exemplifies the Colvin’s attempt to combine century-old
history and modern convenience.
On the other side of the house, a long hallway gives entry to
the other four bedrooms. Lisa notes that the walls of the hall
make excellent gallery space.
The first bedroom we come to is a splash of Disney and
pink; Lisa tells me that their granddaughter often stays over.
View from master suite.
The elegant master bath is a retreat within the home

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Another bedroom, painted cool blue, has a
window seat with the best view of the front
yard. A third bedroom is light green, and
features an antique desk and dresser.
The final room in the row is another
master suite. A functional cream bathroom
was added in what used to be a walk-in
closet. A wooden expanse behind the bed
acts as bedframe, display area and double
closet. This area of the house was whipped
out of thin air by previous owners, and
updated by the Colvins.
Finally, Lisa shows me the partially
finished basement. A sparkling white
bathroom, multiple storage closets and an
exquisite red-painted wine cellar make up
the finished basement. The thick wooden
door to the wine cellar was the original
door to the ice room. The Colvins have
plans for a Chinese game room, another
kitchen, a wet bar and a German-style
seating area, but have not yet realized them.
During the preparations for these
plans, the Colvins unearthed a historical
treasure. A Delft tile mosaic scene, from the
Netherlands, is inlaid above the basement’s
stone fireplace. These scenes are known
for being 100 percent one-of-a-kind, as the
manufacturers made each piece specifically
for each house. The Colvins are looking
into having it restored.
Though I was initially impressed by the
Olmstead Brother’s original landscaping of
the property, exploration of the grounds
provides even more to admire. Lisa shows
Bedrooms in the home all have ample
windows and offer beautiful views onto
the lawns.

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me the pool with a diving board, the
accompanying pool house and the tennis
court. She spends the majority of her time
outside during the summer months, and
who wouldn’t? A putting green with sand
trap and a waterfall flowing into a miniature
pond also make up the grounds. Hidden
from view are two more garages that give
the house eleven total parking spaces. Lisa
points out a small garden plot, a little piece
of land where she keeps her honeybees.
Though located on an active city street,
Lisa explains that her bees are not the only
wildlife around. In the past week alone, a
large moose wandered through the yard,
and an owl perched on the fence. She added
that there are wild turkeys that frequent the
lawn, and a fawn, doe and a colony of bats
have been spotted as well.
Aside from the animal life, there are
around 15 different species of trees on the
property. An enormous, leafy chestnut tree
shades the attached garage, which used to
be a carriage house. Pear and cherry trees
dot the lawn with their bounty. The Colvins
can boast that they have the largest, oldest
gingko tree in all of Spokane. I counted
eight exit points from the house to the
outdoors – all the better to enjoy God’s
work as intended.
Four of these exits lead directly onto
small patio spaces, where both the exterior
diamond brick pattern and the crenellations
of the balcony walls can be admired. The
Colvins have left no detail undone – the
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roof is dotted with decorative snow breaks,
and the gutters are lined with curved iron
protection.
Though Hyslop’s original “function
follows form” motto left the exterior and
interior spaces a bit disjointed, the Colvins
have succeeded at creating a uniquely
harmonious home. Attention to detail,
the preservation of history, decoration
with time-appropriate pieces and a general
commitment to loveliness make this
Rockwood home a classic.
After pouring their heart and soul into
their Rockwood home, the Colvins have
decided to downsize, and have listed their
house. Having traveled all over the world,
Lisa still feels that Spokane is the best place
to raise a family. The Colvin’s three children
and granddaughter live in Spokane, and
they wish to remain close to them. Of her
granddaughter, Lisa says, “She’s pretty much
my world!” The Rockwood mansion will
remain, after they have left, exuding history
from its very walls, and the Colvins will
undoubtedly make new memories in a new
home.
For more information on this home, contact
Nancy Wynia of Windermere Real Estate at
(509) 990-2742, nwynia@windermere.com

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