1 W Melrose Street

Description

Welcome to one of historic Chevy Chase Village's original grandes dames, a classic center-hall Colonial Revival with original Arts & Crafts details. The current owners are among just a handful of residents since a prominent judge had it built as a vacation home in 1908, and they've seamlessly updated the home with a large addition sympathetic to the original architecture while maintaining the glorious historic details of the main structure. This home provides nearly 9,000 square feet of space across four levels with seven bedrooms and four and a half baths, including a lower-level au pair suite. The original colonnaded wrap-around veranda opens to the welcoming foyer flanked by a dining room fit for large-scale entertaining. Architectural history buffs will marvel at details such as double-hung windows; parquet floors with border inlays; operable glass door transoms; and a variety of cut-glass, brass and porcelain door knobs throughout. The expansive custom kitchen features plentiful built-ins, marble countertops, central island, and peninsula bar with seating. The stainless SubZero, Miele and Wolfe appliances are a discerning cook's dream. The adjacent two-story family-room addition and walk-out lower level, designed by architect Cliff Elmore and built by Mauck-Zantzinger, is the true heart of this home. The family room boasts 11 ft + ceilings and a glass-paned inglenook lined with window seats on either side of the fireplace. Downstairs, a second family room, large game, and media room lead to a flagstone terrace. Completing the lower level is an au-pair suite, a storage area, and a laundry room. Outside, lush landscaping shrouds the property from its neighbors with thick mature trees, yews, and boxwood, providing privacy for the wide veranda and side terrace of this grand home.