On the Market
Famed chef Julia Child was a staple of the Cambridge area where she lived for 40 years.
Get ready to say “Bon Appétit” like Cambridge’s most legendary chef because Julia Child’s former home is officially on the market.
The house at 103 Irving St., where the iconic author, TV host, and culinary queen lived for 40 years, was just listed for $6,475,000. Child rose to notoriety as the author of “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and later became a TV icon as the host of “The French Chef,” the beloved WGBH cooking show. But she was also a staple of the Cambridge area, where she shopped for her groceries at Savenor’s, dined at Harvest, and called her peaceful oasis on a tree-lined street home.
Built in 1889, the soft purple six-bedroom, six-bathroom (four full, two half) home became a culinary epicenter for Child and her husband, Paul, upon his acceptance of a job in Cambridge in 1961. She remained in the 6,321-square-foot home until 2001, when she moved to a retirement community and sold the house to Smith College, which later sold it, according to History Cambridge. Now, it’s time for a new owner to make it their own.
Just a few blocks from Harvard Yard, the home is tucked behind a white fence. A brick walkway, gracious front yard, and a few steps lead up to the house, which welcomes guests through a grand entry. Inside, to the right, is a space that is currently set up as a living and dining room combination. Back in the hallway, there’s a family room on the left with French doors, a bay window with a built-in seat, a fireplace, and endless shelves.
In the kitchen, don’t expect to find anything that resembles what it was in Child’s day. She donated her kitchen to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. Instead, the space has been adapted for the modern era, with Poggenpohl cabinetry, a six-burner cooktop, marble countertops, and a Sub-Zero refrigerator. A large island is the anchor, and the eat-in area is surrounded by a wall of windows that embraces the natural setting. In the Butler’s pantry, where Paul Child once stood making martinis, you’ll now find further Poggenpohl cabinetry, Sub-Zero refrigeration, and a beverage cooler. The kitchen provides easy access out to the yard.
“The feel of her is still in there,” said Ed Feijo of Gail Roberts, Ed Feijo, and team at Coldwell Banker, who has the listing. “Even though obviously it’s been renovated, you still get that sense of why she wanted to be there. It’s just very tranquil and relaxing.”
Head up to the second floor to find four bedrooms, including the primary bedroom suite. It features a fireplace, walk-in closet with built-in cabinetry and pocket doors, and an ensuite bathroom with a double vanity. A private balcony feels nestled in the trees.
On the third floor are two more potential bedrooms, one of which easily functions as a media room with a fireplace. There’s an office space and there’s plenty of additional storage. On the finished lower level, there’s an exercise room, a laundry room, a half-bathroom, a wine room, and several storage spaces.
The outdoor space is one of the most unique aspects of the home. Many of the same plants are the ones that were planted by the Childs themselves. Feijo notes that the property is a “garden-style house,” and that a lot of the properties on Professor’s Row are set sideways, specifically designed to take in the garden from every angle. There are two covered porches, a patio, a stone wall, and a fenced-in yard surrounded by mature plantings that create an environment of tranquility.
The home has its own porte cochère,in addition to the driveway parking, where Child once parked her old Volkswagen after returning home from the market with fresh ingredients.
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