Sunday, September 25, 2011

Sunday Open House-- Lanier Boulevard Bungalow

Today I stopped by an Open House in the neighborhood.
This is a 3 bedroom bungalow with 2 and a half baths over on Lanier; an easy walk to Elon's and the Family Dog.


According to the listing the house was built in 1925. 
The style is 1920s all the way with modern additions. 
Upon very close inspection we determined that the front porch originally stretched all the way across the front. The old porch column pillars are visible behind the bushes.  I told you it was close inspection.

This house has been in the same family forever. It was renovated by an heir back in the early '90s--that's 1990's.

Let's take the tour:

The front door opens into the living room--thankfully the door is offset...


with the fireplace over to the side.  There are five--count 'em five windows in the living room--and they're original with wavy glass--8 panes over one.  Such classic styling.


 To the right is an addition--they built in half the front porch back in the 1940s or '50s making an office or den.  The knotty pine paneling and pine bookcases are almost cool.  I prefer my knotty pine painted, but lots of folks like it as it is. 


Next is the dining room--very classic.  A word about the oriental rug;
this one is awesome--its naturally worn. Patina, baby, patina.
I wouldn't be surprised to find it was original to this house.




There's a center hall with a new modern staircase that leads to two bedrooms and a bath upstairs.
The doors along the hall open into the laundry closet with stacked washer and dryer, storage closets, the basement stairs and a powder room.
Originally the stairs were narrow and twisted their way up. In the renovation they were relocated and extended--much better, believe me.


A new galley kitchen was added with modern styled cabinets and Silestone, I believe.  For a galley kitchen, this one isn't bad; there's plenty of counter space and tons of cabinets. It feels roomy. The light fixtures are a little dated and I'd rather have a white kitchen, but again--to each his own.


The dishwasher has to be 20 years old, but it's a Kitchenaid so it'll probably never die.


This family room is part of the addition.
Again, the lighting is not my cup of tea, but it's a really nice space right off the kitchen.



Now for the reason I wanted to see this house:
it has a vanishing threshold.
In layman's terms you walk out onto a patio.
I gotta have that.


The master bedroom was added, too, and you walk right out through the vanishing threshold.


And the master bath. It's very 1990s but the space is great.


The addition was designed by an architect who just happens to be the owner.
You can always tell an architect designed addition--it just looks better.


Now, if I were to buy this house there is one big huge thing I'd do...


 that's build a pool right here.


The rest of the house would be a piece of cake to redecorate, but it takes a special lot to have this:

image source Brooke Giannetti 
                                                                                                                                                              Open House images from FMLS                                                                                                                                                                 



What do you think?




Patti