7427 N. Paulina Street

7427 N. Paulina Street, the Cekan/Hoover House.

This house was on the 1990 Annual Fall House Tour

Circa: 1900

Original Owner: Viola Dresden

Present (1990) Owners: Paul Hoover and Karen Cekan

Sitting on an elevation, this Bungalow-type house, with its red brick facade, served as a family home before 1930. Then it was bought by Hasidic Jews who used it as a synagogue. The interior and exterior have undergone several changes since it was built. A sun porch on the south side of the house was enclosed and the windows from the porch were bricked in with bricks that came from the fireplace. All of the large windows in the entire house were recently (1990) changed to sash windows.

You enter the property by a long winding walkway that takes you to the north end of the house. High clerestory leaded stained glass windows beckon you to the carved oak door. There the foyer has hand-laid tiles and French door. You now enter the house, where straight ahead is the dining room with its arched recessed window on the south end. This room is lighted by a modern chandelier which shows the luster of the oak floor.

The living room, with its arched entrance, is to the east of the dining room and is decorated with those leaded stained glass windows that were seen in the exterior of the house. This room runs the full length of the house in a north - south direction. The five windows on the east add a lot of light to this area. The removal of the decorative fireplace a few years ago (1990) extended the length of the living room. It was just below the stained glass windows. Evidence of the enclosed porch can be seen here as there is an area behind the dining room wall that is a part of the living room. The French glass doors open into the dining room.

As you leave the living room, you enter this long hallway going west toward the kitchen. On your way there, you pass the foyer entrance to the second floor, the original oak door entrance to the basement, the remodeled closet and bathroom, and then you are finally in the kitchen.

The kitchen was also redone. There were windows on the west wall that were also enclosed. This area boasts new oak trim cabinets, a large dining area, and lots of light. The remodeled back porch and the back yard can be reached by this exit.

On your way to the second floor, the beautiful banister and high clerestory window set the pace. There are four rooms and two full baths. The master bedroom is to the east and runs the full length of the living room. It has a remodeled walk-in closet and new (1990) bathroom that replaced a closet. The windows here highlight this space. Moving from the master bedroom, you pass the second and third bedrooms on your left. Here the windows and oak trim add to the beauty. On the right of the banister there is a closet. Continuing west on your right, you face the bathroom that is the most original, except for the medicine cabinet, which was changed. Now moving straight ahead, you enter the last room which is an office.

The basement is unique because of its original doors and trims. There are two rooms that are in full use. One is used as a family room and the other as an office. The largest room in the basement is used as the utility room. There is also a bathroom on your right that was remodeled.