This tiered Italianate confection is aglow with fairytale grandeur along the historic tree-lined Union Avenue.

“To this day, it’s surreal to walk up to that house. It’s always been a dream of mine to have a house like this!”

Love at First Sight

Just when Zane Carruth thought she couldn’t love Saratoga more than she already did, her husband, Brady, surprised her with that house. Like with her marriage, she has loved the Wedding Cake House, and Saratoga, more since the wedding day.

“We had the perfect condo at Park Place and were not looking for a house,” recalls Zane. It was Sunday and they were leaving to go back to Houston, Texas on Monday. Situated on a .5-acre double lot with a premier walkable address, the sprawling 5,120 sq. ft. icing-white, triple layered, 8-bedroom, 6 bath main house was breathtaking. Fluted Ionic columns, like the supports of a wedding cake, add to the charm of the adorned two-story wrap around porch. Adjacent is an incredible 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath renovated carriage house.

Almost immediately after seeing the property, the Carruths made an offer.

“Brady is not one to make quick decisions, but he made this decision – like that – in no time!” said Zane.

After a whirlwind romance, Zane’s world was spinning with the responsibilities involved in owning a historic house, “It’s comical now,” she said. “We taped it together until we could get it into a condition where we were able to stay in it during track season.”

Deliciously Decadent Texture

The house took nine months to renovate.

The Carruths began accentuating the ornate circa 1870 home (which came completely furnished) in the Fall of 2018 by cleaning house.

Lined up to-go, were exactly 58 items (Zane counted) including at least 30 sisal rugs, but the bulk of the home’s impressive craftsmanship and original details remain intact.

The rich, dark columns and intricate scrollwork in the entry have been refreshed with contrasting pale blue wallpaper, chosen with the guidance of The Furniture House's Emily DiSiena.

Several ceiling medallions were repaired and adorned with new light fixtures. The home’s largest renovations include the transformation of a bedroom into a double ensuite bathroom and closet. According to a 1911 Saratogian article, the "old gable was removed" and the Colonial Revival porch that you see today was added.

The Carruths restored it in a divine mahogany. New electrical wiring was installed, the boiler replaced, and the staircase handrail raised to align with building code safety standards.

In the utilitarian kitchen, modern appliances and three colors of quartzite countertops are unified by new white subway tile on the walls lain within the original navy-blue tile border. A beautiful full-size elevator with a stained-glass door was also added to transport guests’ luggage upstairs to the Elevator Bedroom.

In the dining room, eyes feast on the dramatic built-in buffet, jazzy table, freshly painted ceiling (draped in garland carvings), and on the walls, another exquisite example of the home’s wealth of wallpaper.

The Wortham parlor, as Zane calls it, is her favorite space. The fireplace was rebuilt and a formal portrait of John L. Wortham hung. Brady’s grandfather, B.F. Carruth, and Mr. Gus Wortham started Wortham Insurance and American General Insurance Company. Beside it resides an impressionist painting of riding boots. Zane likes an eclectic mix.

“I love the traditional, but I needed to do something different. It’s nice and refreshing. I find the blue (on the walls) is so peaceful. There are so many pieces in here that are so meaningful to me.”