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More than thirty years ago someone told me one of the best lessons about Key West real estate: you can't tell what a house is like from the front! Look up at the photo of the pool at this freshly renovated Casa Marina Area home. I live a block away and have seen the front of this house for more than twenty-two years. I have written about it a couple of times over the years and even remarked that a new owner could add a pool. I never expected to see a view like this. It is stunning.
The listing Realtor describes
1105 Washington Street in
Key West this way:
"Remarkable
Renovation, resulting in a stunning restful retreat. An easy stroll to
the Ocean, this One Level Gem is located in heart of Casa Marina
District.
The combination of finishes and design creates a beach house ambiance,
from Stunning wood finished walls, Sparkling Quartz Kitchen and Gorgeous
tiled floors. Each of the three bedrooms feature ensuite bathrooms,
finished with soft hues of gray and white tile and quartz.
Two sets of French doors open out from the living room to stunning
Keystone Paved Deck and New pool with cascading waterfalls.
Metal roof, Impact Glass windows and Doors and concrete structure will
contribute to low insurance costs while providing high energy efficiency
and protection. Plenty of room for parking, with one off street spot
and additional street parking."
The design is very efficient and pragmatic. It is sort of akin to what you might expect in Scandinavia. It is cool, modern, and sleek. Two of the three bedrooms are located at the front. Both have large en-suite bathrooms and walk-in closets. The porcelain tile floors look like wood but are much easier to clean and maintain. The quartz counter-tops in the bathrooms are plain elegant. I was especially taken by the front right bathroom with a built-in linen closet of sorts that reminds me of houses back in the 1950s. New wood walls were added to various rooms in the house including the bedrooms. This design element offers a change of pace from typical drywall. Other design elements used throughout the house include recessed ceiling lights, large baseboards, trim, crown molding, and matte black hardware. Each bedroom has windows which look out to the front porch and fenced front yard. The new owner will get to landscape the house with as much or as little vegetation as desired. I am a firm believer that less is more because everything grows in Key West except hair.
(I have all of mine.) I would keep tropical plantings to a minimum because they will grow, but it you add too much or too tall plants, you won't be able to see the house or the street.
The renovation added another design element that did not previously exist. The house was sort of bisected and a center hall added. The hall also has wood walls and a couple of doors. One leads to the laundry area. But it is the hall itself that adds to the drama of arrival at the open great great room at the rear of the house and the cool pool view beyond. Then the guest cottage (or third bedroom) appears.
The great room is designed for Key West laid back living. It you use this house as a full time home or a part time getaway place, you will spend a lot of time outdoors. That is what we all do. That is why we moved here - to enjoy the wonderful Key West weather. The French doors will be open throughout most of the year and family members and guests will be inside and outside all the time.
The bathroom for the rear bedroom does double duty as the guest bath for the main house. A door off the living room provides easy access. The third bedroom could easily be a home office or a painter's cottage or writer's studio for most of the time until the grand kids show up.
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| White Street Pier in the 1970s |
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| Higg's Beach 2003 |
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| Sandy's Cafe 2016 |
The Casa Marina Area has been my home for the past twenty-two years. The ocean is nearby. It never changes, but it is always different. The skies, the breezes, the smells - they change. They always change and draw my attention as I drive by. Faustos Grocery is a couple of blocks away. It is the primary grocer for many and a quick stop for someone like me who goes there for milk, bread, or a lottery ticket. There are several gyms and yoga studios in the area as well. Yesterday I was driving home from my open house just after 2:00 PM and there had to be 20 people in line across the street at Sandy's waiting to get something to eat. These are things you can expect and will enjoy to be a part of your future no matter where you buy in Key West. They are just closer if you live in the Casa Marina Area.
CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and then please give me,
Gary Thomas,
305-766-2642, a phone call to set up a showing. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at
Preferred Properties Key West. Let me take you around the neighborhood and you may just fall in love with another part of Key West that you never thought of.
