Jamaica Plain carriage house is stunning
On a narrow, unpaved road at the top of a hill between Centre and Rockview streets in Jamaica Plain is a delightful single-family home that once was a carriage house that belonged to the turreted Victorian home next door.
Four years ago, when the former owner acquired the property, he subdivided the land and created an exquisite dwelling.
From the street, one cannot discern what lies within; only the two white garage doors give a hint to its past. Mary Kelleher of Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty has listed this home at $1.239 million.
At the side of the carriage house, the recessed entrance has mahogany-stained wood paneling, and the door has an etched glass oval inset with sidelights. It is at the side of the house, allowing for the maximum use of space and presenting a dramatic first impression when stepping inside.
Straight ahead is the open, Arclinea-designed kitchen, which the present owners added. It is spectacular. Against one wall is an oversized Sub-Zero refrigerator, a Miele double oven and a pantry.
The first floor of the carriage house boasts a spectacular Arclinea-designed kitchen and a dining room with a fireplace.
COURTESY PHOTOS / ARTISAN DIGITAL IMAGING
Another wall, which has an extra long Carrara marble countertop that continues into the dining area, is lined with custom-built Arclinea cabinets with opaque glass fronts. On this side of the room is the sink, set in front of a casement window, and the double-drawer Fisher & Paykel dishwasher.
A huge center island, topped with marble, contains the professional gas cooktop, above which is a large stainless steel hood. An overhang allows for part of the counter to serve as a breakfast bar.
The room flows toward the back of the house, which has sliding French doors that open to a minimal Juliet balcony and offer a view of the garden and landscaped grounds. A dining table has been added beneath a contemporary chandelier. This room has a gas fireplace, and opposite are the open stairs that lead to the other two levels of the home. The stairwells are wide and permit artwork to be displayed like a gallery.
The carpeted upper level holds two bedrooms. The rear bedroom with a vaulted ceiling has French sliding doors, like those below, taking advantage of the natural light that spills into the room. There is a closet here as well as a door that opens into the master bedroom, which is spacious. French doors open onto a spacious roof deck, above a portion of the original garage.
A sun-dappled second floor nursery with a vaulted ceiling is spacious.
This bedroom has a small closet for shoes and a walk-in closet that continues into the master bath, which is sumptuous. Tiled with a beautiful reddish marble, it includes a deep whirlpool soaking tub, a glass-enclosed shower and a large vanity with two sinks. It can be accessed through the walk-in or from the upstairs hall.
On the lower, garden level is another grand room with a gas fireplace. French doors in this room open out a flagstone patio and the manicured yard.
This room is meant for entertaining, as a flat-screen plasma television has been mounted above the fireplace and a closet holds a wine refrigerator.
On the garden level is a spacious living room with a gas fireplace and French doors that open onto a patio.
The floors here as well as on the first floor are Brazilian cherry.
Beyond this room and a set of French doors is a bedroom suite with closets. Two grayish-red marble steps lead to closets that hold a side-by-side Bosch washer and dryer and to the marble bath itself, which includes a shower and vanity with a single sink.
Returning to the first floor, next to the front door, one finds a powder room that is tiled with a dark brown and gold marble stone. Hand-painted wallpaper covers the walls. The color scheme contrasts nicely with the stark white toilet and pedestal sink.
And that’s not all. There is a home office with windows that look out to the street. It has been furnished with bookcases that cover one wall. Double glass doors can close off this space from the rest of the house. An interior door leads into the one-car garage, which currently is used for storage. It is a small reminder of the home’s origins.
DETAILS
Address: 41 Parley Ave., Jamaica Plain
BR/BA: Three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths
Size: 2,700 +/- square feet
Lot: 5,460 square feet
Age: Circa late 1800s; 2004
Price: $1.239 million
Taxes: $5,984 (FY 2008 with residential exemption)
Close by: Parley Vale Preserve, Jamaica Pond, restaurants and shops along Centre Street; easy access to Jamaicaway and Route 203.
Contact: Mary Kelleher, Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty, 556 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02118. Phones: 617-426-6900 (office), 857-362-1825 (voice) or 617-821-8875 (cell). Web site: www.gibsonsothebys.com.
This home may be seen by appointment.
