Classic Queen Anne Victorian in Lexington gets made-over with modern touches
This Merriam Hill landmark was re-invented by the current owner, a serial renovator, as her eighth project.
Dragon-teeth shingles cover the upper levels of this Queen Anne Victorian, but there is nothing cave-like about this home, rejuvenated by its current owner, a serial renovator who made this Merriam Hill landmark her eighth project.
Using an eye for reclaiming period pieces — the mantel in the family room, for example, was salvaged — and a cadre of craftsmen, the result is a visual marvel.
The main living room delights with a rebuilt coffered ceiling and a fireplace. Not to be outshone, the adjacent sitting room has a decorative fireplace. Competing for attention on the other side of the living room is the dining room, with its brilliant Waterford crystal chandelier, windows with paneled shutters, and corner fireplace.
The kitchen was a gut remodel. The centerpiece is the six-burner stainless-steel gas stove flanked by long counters of granite and extensive solid-wood cabinetry. The kitchen also offers theme lighting, a dining space, and radiant heat. (The home has a 14-zone heating system).
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Take a look inside 12 Oakland Street in Lexington.
Once a screened-in porch, the family room is a cozy space, with a skylight, fireplace, and French doors leading to a sizable deck. The mudroom and foyer, both with radiant heat, complete the first floor, and thanks to additional windows, once-dark hallways on this level are lighter and brighter. Flooring throughout the first floor is tile, the original quartersawn oak, or new lightly stained oak, and the home’s original windows were refurbished.
Privacy is tantamount on the second floor, where all three bedrooms have en suite baths with radiant-heat floors. The master is large and sunny and offers a walk-in closet as well. A sixth bedroom was claimed to create it and the adjoining bath, which features a soaking tub, skylights, a double vanity, a roomy separate shower, and a water closet. The shower wall is clad in Carrara marble, and the floor is of the same stone but in a hexagonal design. Fall’s chill is around the corner, so the heated towel racks will be a welcome amenity.
The third floor can be a land unto itself for a teen, nanny, or granny. There are two bedrooms (one has a custom desk and is being used as an office), a full bath with a bubble motif, and a carpeted family room.
The basement is unfinished, and a detached two-car garage sits on the 0.51-acre property.
Phyllis Reservitz of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Lexington is the listing broker.
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