The home on Brooks Street is full of possibilities in its elegant indoor spaces and extensive patios and courtyards. Local lore says that it was home to Taos author Frank Waters. A sense of history infuses the thick abode walls. The house was first built in the late 1950s or early 1960s and has been added to and updated over time. All parts of the home are seamlessly integrated into a classic adobe structure, accented with bright blue windows.
The heart of the home is the large kitchen and dining room, along with the den that captures the gentle rays of the late afternoon light. The original wide plank wood floors, stucco walls, and ceiling vigas anchor the home in its deep Taos history. The home was the Brooks Street Inn for 30 years. Later it was extensively remodeled and expanded by the Dominican sisters of St. Catherine of Sienna as a retreat center for its members. Currently, it is an expansive and gracious single family home with plenty of room for visiting family and friends.
Throughout the house, there are windows that look out onto the courtyard and other outdoor areas. The gardens have water features and have been lovingly tended to by the current owners. The home is close to the center of town near museums and restaurants, but is quiet and peaceful, a refuge for the spirit.
The home wraps around an extensive center courtyard with a large fountain. Plantings include trees, bushes, perennials — all bursting into color. The landscape plan was developed by local expert Dan Jones to be appropriate for this particular micro-zone. Irrigation provides water to all the gardens. The courtyard has been a safe haven for the two dogs of owners Larry and Janet Adams.
Sculptures adorn the garden, and the patio near the house has spectacular views of Taos Mountain, a perfect spot for morning coffee or a relaxed summer evening dinner. A free-standing studio is set in the courtyard. It has running water and has been a workshop and garden shed. A patio in the front of the house provides another seating area and looks out on an additional landscaped island with a water feature just across the graceful curved driveway.
Realtor Page Patterson says, “The outside spaces are fantastic. No matter what the weather is like, there is an appropriate space here. There is shade in the summer, including the covered portal to catch the summer breezes. For cool winter mornings, there is always a spot with sunshine. Owner Janet Adams is a member of the Native Plant Society and has created gardens with appropriate native plants.”
An entry alcove welcomes visitors to the home. It opens onto a living room with gas fireplace. Just beyond is the open, light-filled kitchen with a center island. Through the large dining room is the den where a grand piano is positioned against a bank of western-facing windows. In the corner is a large Southwestern-style fireplace. The main part of the home has three large bedrooms and baths.
Walk down a corridor with windows that open onto the interior courtyard. Two large rooms lit by skylights with their own bathrooms are located off the hallway. Out the door are three charming casita rooms, each with a Southwestern fireplace.
All parts of the home join together harmoniously to create a relaxed feeling of peace. With its thick walls and many casement windows to capture the breeze, the house stays cool in the summer months. Owner Larry Adams says, “ What I like most about the home is all the windows that create the light-filled spaces.”
Realtor Patterson agrees. She says, “There is natural day light in all the main living spaces. The light is the best feature; it’s really beautiful.”
The Brooks Street house has 8 bedrooms and 8.5 bathrooms in over 5,700 square feet; it is set on a half-acre lot. The home is offered for sale by Page Patterson. Contact her at 575-770-6563. For photos and more details, search zillow.com.
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