On the Market: A Midcentury Modern Cottage Conversion in Provincetown

Originally two separate buildings, this bold red dwelling now makes room for an artist studio, open living space, and a beautifully landscaped patio, all two blocks from Commercial Street.


Photo by Elyssa Cohen

8 Priscilla Alden Road, Provincetown
Price: $1,299,000
Size: 1,276 square feet
Bedrooms: 2
Baths: 2

In a town largely populated by Cape-style homes and wooden shingled cottages, this midcentury modern dwelling painted in Moroccan Red is a delightful standout. A few decades ago, though, anyone walking down the leafy street would’ve seen two modest, separate structures: Built in the 1970s, a small cottage and an artist studio stood on the grounds, until 2005, when the parcel was purchased and the owner went about having the buildings renovated. The abodes were joined by a deck and the kitchen, where slate floors, clerestory windows, and a honed granite island with ample storage create a sleek space saturated with sunlight.

Though the home has two bedrooms, the current owners have used one of them as a den and home office combo with a separate street entrance. The previous owners, on the other hand, stayed true to the property’s artistic roots by utilizing the room as a studio, painting underneath the 15-foot vaulted ceilings (a sink hookup for washing brushes is still there, located underneath the desk in the corner of the room).

Glass doors slide aside to lead out to the completely fenced-in yard, which is petite but packed with entertaining potential. It’s not an uncommon occurrence, says listing agent Joel Harms, for fetes at 8 Priscilla Alden Road to feature a DJ, an oyster shucker, and people spilling from the open interior onto the deck and patio. The paved driveway with tandem parking for two cars has even been transformed into an alfresco dining room at times, with twinkle lights and long tables seating 20 guests. Until we can host dinner parties again, the vegetable garden that hugs one side of the house is reason enough to put together a feast for your own household.

For information, contact Joel Harms, William Raveis RE & Home Services, raveis.com.

Photo by Elyssa Cohen

Photo by Elyssa Cohen

Photo by Elyssa Cohen

Photo by Elyssa Cohen

Photo by Elyssa Cohen

Photo by Elyssa Cohen

Photo by Elyssa Cohen

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