Boston's South End triplex is labor of love

A South End triplex within a brownstone townhouse at 114 West Concord St. is a labor of love, quite literally.
 
From the doors to the floors to all the cabinetry, the entire place has been built during the past 15 years by the current owner.

There’s not a misstep in the design, not an ill-turned stairway spindle, not a missing patch of paint.

Federico Erebia, a medical doctor who also trained at the prestigious and exacting wordworking academy, the North Bennet Street School in the North End, has done a masterful job of renovation.

His showplace. Unit 1, is now for sale for $1.425 million, listed by Ricardo Rodriguez of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.

You enter by climbing the original brownstone steps, past a small garden surrounded by a cast iron fence, and entering to a gracious receiving hall, with shining hardwood floors.

All of the floors on the levels are made of Honduran mahogany.

Under the stairs at the entry level is a charming bath. It appears to be a powder room with a marble sunken sink on top of an antique cabinet.

Look closer and there is a double shower hidden away. The hideaway bath is just one of the many built-in surprises.

Also on this middle floor is a room that can be used as a second bedroom or a formal dining room – such a choice. The room has a one-of-a-kind wooden screen on the wall above the fireplace.

Erebia carved the surround from African sapele wood. In the imposing piece there are small handles to open up the carving.

Behind the decorative woodwork is a commodious storage space. 

Again, more clever spaces built by the owner, but there is more. 

The wooden carving above the fireplace in the sitting room is African sapele, which hides storage space.

If this room should be used as a formal dining room, a butler’s elevator carries dishes between the kitchen on the ground floor and a pantry area off the dining room.

Presumably, you won’t have a butler, so think of this convenience as the dumb/smart waiter. The pantry on this floor has many examples of Erebia’s handiwork, including a coffered ceiling, cabinetry and a granite counter with full granite sink.

However, downstairs on the garden level, where you find the kitchen, family room and, of course, the garden, the full array of Erebia’s creativity becomes apparent. This space was built out over years, and today it is breathtaking.

Roll back the floor-to-ceiling accordion doors and, step out into the bricked Zen garden with a large deck. Bamboo and other evergreen plantings, along with a large pond with a fountain, create a slice of city heaven in this space.

Of course, during the rough-and-tumble days of early New England spring, the custom doors let in a rush of a raw air.

The kitchen is stunning with custom cabinets, stainless steel appliances, granite counters and much storage, including a unique pot rack.

But on a soft summer’s day, there will be nothing finer.

Inside this olive-hued great room that opens out to the garden is a working fireplace with a distinctive Travertine marble surround as well as much custom-built storage space, including a hand-made wardrobe for coats.

The kitchen area is stunning with granite counters and two granite sinks, as well as mahogany custom cabinetry. The cabinets feature full-extension drawers and all storage amenities.

The sinks are lined completely with granite, not stainless steel as is customary.

However, the appliances are all stainless, with a Thermador range and double ovens, a Sub-Zero refrigerator, a professional grade Broan range hood and a Gaggenau dishwasher.

A stylish but utilitarian chef’s pot rack completes this shiny workable space while the lighting adds to the fashionable glow from overhead recessed beams, glass pendants and rope lighting in the soffit.

Around the corner from the kitchen is the main bathroom, The clean white spa-like space has slate tile and a steam shower for two surrounded by a sparkling clean glass wall.

The bedroom’s wall color is called “Gentleman’s Gray,” but the hue is a deep navy blue. The fireplace is decorative.

There’s a custom-built cabinet with a Duravit toilet and pedestal sink, which has Dornbracht faucets.

Off the kitchen area is a large storage/work room – the cleanest storage room ever – with more built-in cabinets and a full-size, front-loading Maytag Neptune washer and dryer. Storage rules in this triplex on West Concord Street. Master carpenter Erebia has built in so many conveniences for stowing your stuff.

Ascending from the garden level to the third floor bedroom and living room, you can take the house’s grand staircase, which was once buried under layers of paint.

Erebia, intent on restoring, not replacing, scrubbed and scrubbed, finally liberating the solid handrail and the newel post from decades of disregard. The original walnut was allowed to breathe again.

The bowfront living area on the third floor has a working fireplace with a marble mantel. 

The living room on the third floor is large, with a working fireplace, and perfect for big gatherings because guests can also spill out into the center hallway. Close the doors to the bedroom and no one will ever know they’ve invaded your private space.

DETAILS

Address: 114 West Concord St., Unit 1, South End

BR/BA: Two bedrooms, two baths

Size: 2,602 square feet

Age: 1865; 1994; 2008

Price: $1.425 million

Taxes: $12,095 

Condo fee: $531 per month

Features of home: Amazing hand-crafted triplex with custom details throughout, including a kitchen with mahogany cabinets, full granite sinks, high-end stainless steel appliances; floor-to-ceiling accordion doors to private Zen garden with fountain; four fireplaces - two working and two decorative; master bath with slate tile and glass-enclosed steam shower for two; guest bath with shower for two; large rooms on three floors; bowfront windows with custom window treatments that convey with the house; abundant storage, even behind intricate wood carving above fireplace; heat by hot water; new Runtal radiators from Europe; pet friendly; one deeded parking space.

Close by: South End shops and restaurants, Boston Medical Center and Blackstone Square (where “Saint Elsewhere” or St. Eligius was filmed); easy access to MBTA Orange Line at Massachusetts Avenue and Silver Line on Washington Street, Routes 93 and 90.

Contact: Ricardo Rodriguez, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, 173 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116. Phones: 617-266-4430 (office), 617-796-6084.

Web sites: www.NEMoves.com or www.114WConcordUnit1.com.

An open house will be held Sunday, April 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.