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Tuesday, April 7, 2009

10121 Sorrel Avenue - Blenheim - $1,350,000

Listed by Llewellyn

Google Map Here

POTOMAC SECRET AGENT HAS FILED THIS REPORT REMOTELY FROM YANGSHUO, CHINA

Potomac can be a very traditional place to shop for a home. Touring a Contemporary home is always a nice break from the usual Colonials and Split Levels that dominate the market.

This home has good curb appeal with a beautiful landscaped front yard. The azaleas and flowering shrubs will soon create a scene as they burst into bloom. There are lots of beautiful plants and trees on this lot. With .75 acres, it will certainly appeal to those with a green thumb.

There is no doubt this is a 1970’s era contemporary. The wood and glass design cost a pretty penny when it was built in 1974. Crowell and Baker were quality builders of the day. This was a custom project for them and quality work.

You notice the beautiful double door the moment you walk up. Custom made, they both open to allow free access to the interior. It happened to be a beautiful day when I visited and the agent had the doors wide open to the outside. It was lovely.

The idea of this design is to bring the outside in. The double doors in front are only one of the design aspects that reinforce this goal. The natural wood interior, wood floors, large wall of windows to the back-yard are all dramatic elements in this home. Those that love Contemporary design will appreciate the thought that went into these plans.

The cost to implement had to be high, for building a contemporary home is not for the budget conscious or feint of heart. Most folks that love contemporary design have a passion for it. Cost is often secondary to realize their vision.

The kitchen is on the back left side of the home as you walk in. It has cork flooring (Great for cooks as it is easy on the legs), and has recently been renovated. Granite counters and high end appliances will make any chef proud. The great room is 2 stories and has glass doors to the exterior. There is a lot of natural light and a view of the in-ground pool and patio.

The master suite is on the first floor in this home. The bedroom has his and her baths – all with original tile and fixtures. The colors are groovy…..they are so 1974. The sunken tub was a rare luxury in 1974. This one is great fun and very retro. The bedroom is very cool and is ready for someone to update the space.

The upstairs has 4 additional bedrooms. All are decent size, and share 2 full baths. The baths all have original tile. One bath is Orange and the other is Yellow. The tile is very high end, and had to be very expensive. The installation is like a vertical subway design. This is very chic and very bright.

The basement level is fully finished. There is a bedroom and full bath down here. There is lots of space, but there is SO much clutter. There is also a wood shop down here with its own ventilation system. Those that love woodworking will be pleased.

This is a great home. The bones are good, the construction is quality. The design is classic contemporary and is still very much in style. This home needs some TLC and someone with passion to love it once again. I would love to see this home in the hands of an architect or someone with the money and time to rejuvenate it. It will be very worthwhile.

It is going to take the right people to see this home and fall in love with it. It will take one of those “Passionate” lovers of Contemporary design to see the value in this home as it is. It would be a shame for someone to come in and rip out all of the 1970’s tile and bath fixtures. I may sarcastically say they are “Groovy”, but the quality and era is beautiful.

I would not be surprised to see this home sell at list price. I would also not be surprised to see this go at 10% below list price. It will all depend on who falls in love when they see it. This should fetch $1.215, 000 when the time comes.

2 comments:

  1. This house has been reduced to 1.25M since mid-March and it has not been sold yet.

    I'm a contemporary agnostic, so I don't share the enthusiasm about the design. The best thing about this house is the kitchen - it is very updated. It's also in a great location and has quite a large lot. However, apart from the kitchen, everything else seems original 1974 vintage. There's a lot to do to bring it up-to-date.

    I agree that a lover of contemporary architecture may see this house as an opportunity. For the average house buyer who is looking for a home for the family this may be too groovy and retro.

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  2. I agree that this home will NOT be one for the traditional home buyer. The listing agent on this home knows his stuff, and was smart to reduce while the market is active. When you look at homes every day, it is nice every once in a while to have a different style to break the monotony. With that said....time will tell where this one will settle. Thanks so much for the timely and thoughtful comment!

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