I have to admit, I might very well pull myself out of Preston Hollow and plunk down in Lakewood for the right home on Mercedes Ave. Whilst perusing this angel at 6030 Mercedes, heart of the M Streets, Stonewall Jackson Elementary, perfectly sited between Greenville and Abrams, I came home and dreamed about living on Mercedes Ave.
Course, then, I’d have to get a car to match the street name.
Bachelorette JoJo Fletcher and her betrothed are nearby (not right here, of course) as is Angela Hunt and a host of fun people. Then, you drive a little east on Mercedes, and the homes grow in majesty, the yards expand, while all retaining tremendous character and symmetry, all of them, old and new. Hold their own against Preston Hollow or Highland Park 24/7. The entire street is a “Please Don’t Eat The Daisies” dream neighborhood of perfectly sized Tudors with manicured lawns, huge trees, and great green backyards beckoning for a party.
Inside almost every home is historic charm, pretty original moldings, curved doorways, gorgeous mantels, stained glass, and charm. 6030 Mercedes is no different.
The home is an original circa 1948 Tudor that was nicely renovated in 1972 with a dormer addition which expanded the home to 2776 square feet and added a huge master bedroom, walk-in closet, spa master bath with dual vanities, jacuzzi tub and separate shower, a den and extra room. This is all accessible via a well-tucked staircase from the breakfast room and kitchen.
But you could live downstairs in this home and be perfectly happy. There is the original master plus one bedroom with an ancillary bedroom and closet through the second bedroom, very common in homes of this era. The two baths on this floor are pristine and features the original tile and cast iron bathtub, completely re-porcelained. There is a corner commode in one!
You enter the home right into the living room, which features a charming fireplace framed by original stained glass windows. With the exception of these two, all the windows in the house have been re-placed with new thermopane numbers, up and down. The dining room flows off the living room through an archway entrance, behind which is the kitchen.
A few things that impressed me about this charmer. The kitchen, while needing some updating (that could totally be postponed), is an easy-flow rectangle with a large pantry. Off the kitchen is a full laundry area with a larger pantry I would venture to call a Sam’s closet, it’s that large. This is the entrance to the back yard, garage and deck, thereby lending it as a multi-purpose mudroom. There are backpack cubbies I see in multi-million dollar homes and one of the greatest treasures of this room: a huge extra sink! I can totally see mom pulling up here, through the electric gate, unloading the car with ease.
This space is very thoughtful and handy, either for the laundry/mudroom use or as a prep kitchen for caterers.
There is a small terra cotta tiled breakfast room behind the kitchen that opens to the back deck through French doors, a very sunny room indeed. A doorway to the ancillary third bedroom lends it for use as a family room or downstairs. Every single door is solid wood original with the original, restored glass knobs we love.
The back yard has been covered with turf, eliminating mud and maximizing the shade from several huge, leafy trees. Add a hammock and you almost have a third living area! A detached two car garage is functional. Don’t laugh at me saying that — in many of these historical homes, they are not!
This home has a new roof and stainless appliances, original hardwood floors, and a tree top master retreat that is not at all intrusive on the home’s front roofline. In fact, looking at the home from the front, you would never know it exists.
The front porch is large and welcoming, surrounded by lush landscaping and allowing for the friendly neighborhood camaraderie that is a hallmark of the M Streets. You are four blocks from Greenland Hills, around the corner from Lakewood Village, Lakewood Country Club, and the offerings of lower Greenville Avenue. Sit out here with your vino and enjoy!
6030 Mercedes Ave is listed with Ty Vaughn of The Associates, a Rea Estate Brokerage by Robert Elliot, one of the city’s most high profile home builders. Asking price is $650,000.
