Drivers exiting Rock Creek Parkway onto Massachusetts Avenue in Northwest Washington are treated to a view of towering trees on one side of the road and a row of classic Federal-style town homes on the opposite side. Those homes face the park and enjoy a perfect blend of a location in the midst of sought-after Kalorama and Embassy Row along with a view of the changing seasons outside their windows.
Rarely available, this row of homes was built in 1942. Now, the whitewashed Federal-style brick town home at 2537 Waterside Drive NW is on the market for $1,100,000. The home has four finished levels and a private rear patio. Two parking spaces convey with the home.
The location of this property means residents can reach Georgetown, Dupont Circle, the Kennedy Center and downtown Washington in minutes, or they can stroll or jog in Rock Creek Park. Dupont Circle’s shops, restaurants and Metro station are about a mile from the home, a pleasant stroll past the embassies and stately homes along Massachusetts Avenue.
This Kalorama town home has been renovated to enhance the flexibility of the rooms and allow for elegant entertaining indoors and out while keeping the home’s rich architectural details. A brick walkway and brick steps lead to the wood front door, which is tucked underneath a brick arch with a Palladian window. The whitewashed brick exterior features black shutters around the windows. The abundance of windows in this home fills all the rooms with natural light.
The door opens into a gracious foyer with hardwood flooring and an entrance to the dining room. Double-folding doors lie flat against the wall of the formal dining room and can be closed when entertaining. The dining room includes recessed lighting, crown molding and a wood-burning fireplace. At the front of the room are two double windows facing Rock Creek Park. The dining room can be used for other purposes, if desired, and recently was used as a family room.
At the back of this level are an updated black-and-white powder room and an updated kitchen with black-and-white tile flooring and white cabinets. The kitchen includes recessed lighting and under-cabinet lighting and has a picture window over the counter, a double window over the sink and a glass door leading to steps up to the patio. The kitchen includes a second sink, black granite counters and a mix of glass-front and solid cabinets. Under one counter is a full-size washing machine, while the pantry doors hide a full-size dryer and pantry shelving. Nearby is a utility closet with additional storage space.
The second level features a generously proportioned living room with hardwood flooring, high ceilings and double windows framing views of the trees of Rock Creek Park. The living room has crown moldings, recessed lighting and a wood-burning fireplace. A curving hardwood staircase leads from the living room to the third level.
The second level also includes a lovely library with a wall-length bookcase and shelves that can be placed against the wall on either side of the room. The library has hardwood flooring, crown and chair-rail molding, a picture window facing the private patio and a glass door to the backyard.
The fully fenced backyard has a flagstone path leading to the flagstone-paved central patio, which is surrounded by garden beds. At one end of the yard is a white picket fence with a gate to the alley and a white picket storage shed for gardening tools. The patio has plenty of space for gardening, dining outdoors and entertaining.
This level also has a built-in bar with glass shelves and a mirror. Nearby is an updated full bath with a charming floral pedestal sink. The library can be turned into a bedroom if desired, with a wall opened to lead directly into the bath and the bar converted to a closet.
The third level features a master suite at the front of the house, overlooking Rock Creek Park. The bedroom has two closets, hardwood flooring and a ceiling fan.
This level has an oversized, renovated bath with marble flooring, a furniture-grade vanity and a glass-enclosed shower.
The second bedroom on this level includes hardwood flooring, two windows facing the back garden and a closet. This bedroom is currently in use as a home office. The third bedroom, currently converted for use as a walk-in closet, has hardwood flooring and a window overlooking the back garden. These two bedrooms could be combined into one room, if desired.
Alternatively, the entire level could function, as it does now, as a master suite with a bedroom, a walk-in closet and a den or home office or sitting room.
Hardwood stairs lead to the finished attic level, which has pale pickled hardwood flooring, an oversized skylight, sloping ceilings and two additional skylights that can be opened. The operable skylights include built-in blinds.
The attic, which is being used as a bedroom, has under-eaves closets on two walls and a tall closet on another wall. The bedroom also could be used as a home office or an art studio.
With four levels of flexible rooms, new residents can decide which levels they will use for bedrooms and which for entertaining, relaxing or working. No matter how they use these rooms, they may find themselves distracted by the abundance of light and treetop views from every window.
Details:
Address: 2537 Waterside Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
Community: Kalorama
Age: Built in 1942
Price: $1,100,000
Size: Lot of approximately 2,400 square feet
Taxes: $7,623 in 2010
Homeowners association fee: $1,000 per year
Exterior features: Federal-style whitewashed brick town home, black shutters, arched front doorway, brick front walk and steps, fully fenced backyard with gate to alley; two parking spaces in lot convey with property
Interior features: Four finished levels; four bedrooms; 2½ baths; hardwood flooring; crown molding; formal dining room on main level with fireplace and folding doors; renovated kitchen with granite counters; on the second level, living room with fireplace, library with glass door to patio, wet bar; on third the level, master suite with two closets, two more bedrooms on same level (one in use as a walk-in closet), renovated full bath; attic level finished as fourth bedroom or home office
Amenities: Flagstone patio with garden beds and space for outdoor table in fenced backyard, two wood-burning fireplaces, recessed lighting, skylights, natural-gas water heater; home faces Rock Creek Park
Close by: Rock Creek Park, Embassy Row, Dupont Circle, Georgetown, downtown Washington, Kennedy Center
Open house: By appointment
Contact: Realtor Kimberly Cestari of W.C. & A.N. Miller Realtors, a Long & Foster company, at 202/253-8757 or visit https://kimberlycestari.com
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