Janet's HouseJanet Tyler
Born in Milwaukee in 1952, Janet grew up in the suburb of Brookfield during most of her childhood years. A graduate of Brookfield Central High School, she went on to pursue further education in accounting. Her career has spanned numerous industries and has included 20 years at the Pabst Brewing Company and office management work in the office of a local doctor. Janet moved to Thurston Woods and her current home in 1998 with her husband and children. She is now the proud grandmother of 13 grandchildren, the newest addition having joined the clan this June. House History The history of this home demonstrates a conscious effort toward improvement, transformation and a desire to set the house apart visually from the typical structures in the neighborhood. Built in 1929 at a cost of roughly $3,000, the structure originally had a much smaller second floor and no front porch. The current homeowner believes the second level was expanded sometime in the 1970s, the roof altered dramatically and the floorplan reconfigured and expanded to its current state. Beyond altering the real estate value, the dramatic changes to the face of the home suggest a desire on the part of the owner to build an increased social stature externally and internally. Such alterations, for instance the creation of a master suite, suggest not only changing conceptions of needed amenities but also an attempt by the modifier to bring an increased perception of respectability. The alterations to the internal living space likely also indicate an expansion to accommodate a larger family. There is evidence of creating a more open and unified space in the front portion of the first level. Scarring and patchwork were discovered on the original floors in the front portion of the first floor. This suggests a partial dividing wall was removed, possibly to create a social space in which a larger family might gather or perhaps to simply create a larger grand entrance. |