227 Julia Street, Key West

Poets, writers, philosophers, musical artists, and hippies have mused on finding a place to call home. The photo of the above kitchen would not be my first choice, but it may be yours. While that kitchen is well designed, has a fireplace, and is perfectly fitted, it lacks heart.  A kitchen like that belongs in Los Angeles or Atalanta but not Key West. Hippies would never have felt at home let alone at ease in such digs. The new listing at 227 Julia Street, Key West is the antithesis to white on gray that permeates so much of our contemporary kitchen (and home) design. Let's take a look starting out front. 

Without going inside we can see the is smallish but has been expanded in the rear and offers a very positive first impression. The home is but 824 square feet of living space which sits on a 1,271 square foot lot. It offers good solid design and a color scheme that compliments the Key West vibe.

 

Two sets of bi-fold doors close off the living room to create a second bedroom which has a custom Murphy bed surrounded by additional bookcases and three window seats. The library ladder provides access to an additional small sleeping area located over the bookcase. There is a full guest bath tucked in the corner. The front porch is more for show than actual use as an entry, but it sure "shows" well.

The listing Realtor describes this jewel this way:

"The perfect Key West cottage! This charming home was built with great artistry and craftsmanship, from the wainscoting to crown mouldings to exposed beams, built-in bookshelves, ample storage and clever niches. The kitchen boasts Viking and Sub-Zero appliances and Hansen & Bringle cabinetry. A murphy bed folds out of a custom cupboard in the living room to create a second bedroom with private full bath. A library ladder leads to a cozy loft overlooking the living room. A dip pool with ''fish'' fountain feature, lush landscaping, Azec deck and off-street parking complete the package in an ideal location, just three blocks from Duval and a stroll away from Truman Waterfront Park. The home is in a successful monthly vacation rental program. Perfection in paradise!
Agent Remarks: Home is rented from."

I did my research before I went there thinking that the house was a renovation of the old cottage. I dug into my old shoebox and found a taken of the original house located here in 1965. The house sat on the west one-half of the lot which measure 26' X 45.8' which explains the vacant space to the right.  In examining the Monroe County Property Appraiser records I learned the old house was razed and was replaced by the new 1270 sq ft house which was built all new in 2004. That explains why the current house and the two story addition at the rear looks so sharp. 

The stairway is a work of art. I had to stop and take a look at how much detail the owner put into something so many others would might just put in a door to create some storage. Consider all of the design elements fit into the seven feet of or so of floor space. Of course there is the door for storage plus the shelves for displaying pottery, the wainscoting that wraps its way up the stairs to the master bedroom. There is abundant recessed light throughout the house which diminishes the need for table lamps.  Real wood floors give this new house a genuine old house feel. All too often new homes have ceramic or porcelain floors that trick the eye into seeing wood when the material used is not. The black iron hardware add a pop of color everywhere they are located. Admit it, this is so much better than the photo of the kitchen at the top of today's blog. 

The gabled roof gives the master bedroom and bath a genuine old house feel. Wainscoting wraps this room as well.  A chair rail seems to continue to wrap the bathroom where the wood wainscoting leaves off. Wherever you look, there is attention to detail. This home has an abundance of small things that add up to become so much! 

CLICK HERE to view the Key West MLS datasheet and listing photos of 227 Julia Street, Key West offered at $879,000. Then please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am the Realtor to the Dreamers and a full time agent at Preferred Properties Key West. This is a small cozy home left over hippies would love. We have hotel rooms for your guests.