I hope you relaxed as much as I did over the holidays. There really wasn’t much choice, was there? Our yard is so soaked with rainwater it probably won’t dry out until December of 2016. Even the dog doesn’t want to go out, and she has a turf yard for potty time. Shopping? I hit my computer on Black Friday. No way I was going to brave the crowds, traffic AND torrential rain. That’s why Al Gore invented the internet. (Guess I wasn’t the only one, retailers say Black Friday sales were off by more than a BILLION as people shopped more online than in stores:
Brick-and-mortar stores lost sales and traffic. Online stores gained traffic and sales. And the whole holiday hoopla associated with the long Thanksgiving-Black Friday weekend now seems more appropriate for an earlier era.)
Neiman’s web site even crashed, there was so much traffic! I felt sorry for anyone who was on the road, I even felt sorry for the coyotes in our neighborhood: where did they find a dry place to sleep? Me, I could easily have slept right here…
But then I found this Highland Park Black Friday angel, and I was happy again. Trytophan be damned! 4517 South Versailles is a darling house, with tons of charm and character, smack in the honeypot of Highland Park. The cottage is just a vision of architectural detail and touches with pure hardwood floors, and plaster walls and ceilings. Nestled on a wonderful block in Highland Park, this architecturally significant and tastefully maintained cottage offers functional living spaces perfect for entertaining in all seasons. Looks like it sold in 2008 for $800K, then had a substantial amount of money poured in that beautiful front door. I also think this would be a great Baby Boomer home for someone who wanted a pied a terre in town, in the Bubble, walking distance to Highland Park Village, but tidy and manageable with your won yard and pool so you can lock and leave it when you go to your ranch or Aspen or Watercolor or second (or third) home. You’ve got the prestige of a Highland Park address… but a compact, manageable home on .21 acre.
There are only two bedrooms, but they are KILLER bedrooms. There are three full baths.
As you enter the home, you are greeted by a charming entryway leading you to the formal living room. There are handsome hardwoods, an abundance of natural light and a cozy wood burning fireplace right here.
The formal dining is tucked off of the living room with a huge bay window flooding the room with natural light, and access to the breakfast room and kitchen. The cheery kitchen, all new, features a 4-burner gas cooktop with a beautiful custom copper vent hood, pretty backsplash, built-in refrigerator and tile countertops. I love the richly-colored cabinetry. From the kitchen you step into the den, which was originally the third bedroom. The den features seagrass floors, a storage closet and access to the backyard. Make this a TV room/study, and here is where you will spend most of your time.
The spacious master suite (18 by 15, not too shabby) is tucked into the back of the home: seagrass floors, walk-in closet, even a sitting area with serene backyard views. The guest suite is situated on the east wing of the home, offering hardwood floors, a built-in desk and dresser and access to the backyard, as well as privacy.
The house is 2314 square feet, about enough for a couple and maybe one child, more likely a couple and occasional guests. But look at the open, beamed ceilings that soar up and give this cottage angel a much larger fee. Then too, there is the original charm and brick of 1929 construction, with dentils and archways, plus built-ins everywhere. Look at that charming bathroom — do I spy some original tiles?
Though the lot is small, it is mighty — 70 feet deep and there is a small pool. The two car garage is detached. I am just really loving this house because I have always said I want to be walking distance from Highland Park Village in my next home, and this one really is walkable — a good walk, of course, when it is not frigging RAINING TURKEYS! Listed with Becky Frey at Briggs Freeman and listed at $1,299,000. What a cutie pie!
