Well, crud. I’ve fallen in love again. Only this time I know it’s not going to work out. It’s like when you’re single and you see that really cute guy in the gym/grocery store/bank and, while the attraction is there, you play out the relationship in your head and you see it ending with a breakup text and one too martinis the next weekend with your girlfriends.
That’s my love affair with this super cute Craftsman bungalow at 314 S. Montclair, a two-bedroom, one-bath Arts & Crafts bungalow in the beautiful Winnetka Heights Historic Conservation District.
I do love almost everything about this home, but it’s the single bathroom that’s a stumbling block for me. I’ve been there, done that, and my husband and I agree that our next home has to have at least two bathrooms, though two and a half would be preferable. Still, there is so much to love about this home, and while many stagers will tell you to take excess art of the walls and make your home less personal so it will appeal to a greater pool of buyers, I love that this owner eschewed that advice.
Listed by Dave Perry-Miller & Associates Realtor Ged Dipprey, this 1,530 square foot home is priced at $259,000 and has been on the market for a total of four whole days. You can tell that this owner loves this home, with how it’s painted and decorated, and how everything just fits. I really have to wonder why they’re moving!
My husband, an avid poster art and record collector, would adore this home’s many cozy spaces, especially the study off of the living room. It would be a great place for him to showcase his collection, as this seller has. And the French doors, which separate both the study and the dining room from the living area, are a perfect foil for anyone who wants to work from home but doesn’t want to feel isolated when they need to have a conference call.
The dining room is beautiful, with plenty of natural light, but I really wish there was some kind of chandelier in here instead of the track lighting. Still, it’s a great space for entertaining, and would be fantastic to host neighbors during the occasional wine walks the neighborhood association hosts.
The kitchen is a whole different world of color and texture. No word on whether the lime green china hutch stays, but I would negotiate it in! It’s just a really fun pop of color among all of the gray and sand paint on the walls. One of the irst things you’ll notice is the cool antique apron farm sink, which is a cool juxtaposition with the professional stainless backsplash and granite counters. There’s a professional grade gas range and other stainless steel appliances, too. The butler’s pantry, which is just off the kitchen, also serves as a breakfast nook and a gallery of framed ephemera.
There are two bedrooms, one of which is off of the study, and both are rather modest but feel much larger thanks to the many windows that line the walls. The master would look a little more soft with some draperies, but is otherwise beautiful and relaxing. The second bedroom has much more texture and feels more livable. And I love that Ikat rug, a very hot trend right now. The bathroom sports vintage tile and a single pedestal sink. I would definitely preserve this beautiful bath, as many homeowners in this neighborhood would get the vapors at the thought of remodeling a bath in this good of condition.
There are many other bonuses to this home, including a beautiful greenhouse off of the kitchen, a finished studio space attached to the garage, and a lovely, shady backyard. Don’t you just adore it?
