1213 Margaret Street - Old Town - Key West

The new listing at 1213 Margaret Street may look like a typical Key West renovation on the outside, but it is anything but typical on the inside. I dug into the old shoebox and found a photo taken of the house about fifty years ago. I doubt it got much better looking than that over the years. That is until the most thorough renovation of this absolutely charming home.  I took some photos to help illustrate the near ten years of work that resulted in what I will simply call a labor of love. The changes are amazing.

The above photo shows the Cuban Tile floor which can be seen in many old Key West homes that have not been all gentrified. This house retained the imprint of the family that lived in this house years ago. Underneath the new Hardiboard siding is all new 1/2 plywood sheathing and insulation, and Tyvek wrap that protest the house from the elements and makes it more economical to maintain.

The entry hall runs from the front of the house to mid point where the great room is located. You will  note the ceiling in the entry hall has a mini-vault between the side wall and the bedroom walls which are now clad with Dade County Pine reclaimed from a home previously owned by Hollywood actress Kelly McGillis and her husband. (That house was located on White Street near Truman Avenue.) There is a new roof over tongue and groove Dade County Pine decking. The bamboo floors were reclaimed from an NBA arena. They are remarkable in quality and hue.  Underneath the pretty floors you will find new piers, floor joints, and pressure treated framing. Electric, plumbing, and A/C have been replaced. Notice the addition of creative lighting throughout the house as well as ceiling fans.   A new "chase" runs through the interior bedroom walls to the great room which provides a conduit to add whatever electronic gizmos some toddler today may design tomorrow.

The front bedroom would probably be used as the master suite. The space is quite large. The vaulted ceiling certainly adds to the spacious feel, but the room actually is quite large. There is a walk-in cedar lined closet that even has some nifty built-ins. The bathroom is both spacious and bright. The windows above the mirror provide lots of free daytime illumination without having any peering eyes looking into the space.

The guest bedroom is as wide as but not as long as the master suite. The space is quite interesting in its own right. There is a "nautical" built-in ladder that leads to an upper level roost where the current owner has placed a desk. If I were a kid I'd love this space. But I'm not. So one trip was enough .If you have children on grand kids, they will love this room. It will give them years of memories. The laundry closet is located in the hallway under a portion of the roost. The bathroom takes up the remaining space. The bathroom vanities were handcrafted. Your friends and neighbors can't go to The Home Depot to buy one like it because these are one of a kind creations.

The great room offers abundant living space. If this is to be a vacation home, there is plenty of room for sitting and relaxing while your mate makes dinner and your in-laws eat your food and drink your booze. They will be impressed with the hand-made kitchen cabinets made from teak and an exotic wood called Woman's Tongue. Each beam in the great room ceiling has over eight pieces of teak wood.  CLICK HERE to view more photos of this home.

The listing Realtor says there is room for a pool at the rear of the house. The south side yard may be wide enough to permit a small backhoe entry to dig out a pool. The back porch is covered and provides an inviting place to dine or watch whatever happens in the spa at the rear.  The back door is wind impact resistant glass. All other windows have Dade County approved shutters which will make this home more affordable to insure.

CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet for 1213 Margaret Street which is offered at $969,000. Please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 to schedule an appointment to see this charmer. I am a buyers agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Key West.