Property Description

14 W. Walnut Street

On a quiet, tree-lined street in Alexandria’s Rosemont neighborhood, you’ll find 14 West Walnut: a fully rebuilt and expanded six bedroom, four bathroom 1917 Craftsman replete with historic accents and eco-sensitive implements.

The Hardie Plank and cedar shingled three-level home is sited on a lot with ten varieties of fruit trees, raised garden beds, a glass-front garden shed and pergola. Stone dust-lined walkways promote drainage throughout the yard, and a buried cistern aids in capturing all run-off. Ample seating areas in the backyard, as well as a tidy front porch with a ceiling fan, allow you to enjoy outdoor lounging in all seasons.

A bright entryway opens to a sitting room with a double-sided, stacked-stone fireplace. The reclaimed heart-of-pine floors, wide baseboards and double-paned windows you’ll see here are consistent throughout the home. To your immediate left, an architectural arch modeled after the home’s arts-and-crafts style leads to a formal dining room with a sunny bank of windows, and straight ahead, you’ll find the kitchen. Its layout nods to the original 1917 design, but upgrades like high-density granite countertops, custom cherry cabinetry and stainless-steel Jenn-Air appliances appeal to the contemporary cook. The adjacent open room overlooks the lush backyard, and with gleaming travertine tile and built-in cabinetry, you can use the space for dining or living. The inclusion of a full bathroom with 9 foot ceilings here allows for easy entertaining indoors or out, while keeping guests centralized to the lower level of the home.

The show-stopping Tiger Maple and Brazilian Cherry staircase offers access upstairs and downstairs to the finished basement. Also accessible from an entrance in the backyard, the basement includes private quarters for long-term guests or the family’s au pair. Two bedrooms with built-in storage systems, a full bath, second laundry, living room and wet bar fill out the ample 1,500 subterranean square feet. You can access extra storage here, as well as the utility room with double hot water heater and geothermal heat pump. The home’s updated and comprehensive plumbing system maintains a moisture-free space, while elegant touches like wraparound cherry shelving, a glass and mahogany display cabinet, well-positioned large, light filled windows and poured concrete floor keep basement vibes at bay.

One of the home’s most unique features lies opposite the wet bar, with its salvaged ceramic farmhouse sink and pantry. A pine door made from salvaged lumber from the homes expansion opens to reveal an authentic Old World European style wine cellar. You’ll get a taste for the original historic home in this space, floored with excavated bricks. Custom shelving offers space for a serious oenophile’s bottle collection, as well as deep storage for overflow pantry items.

Slide your hand along the Brazilian Cherry stair-rail as you ascend to the home’s third level. A den at the top of the landing beneath an elongated skylight can serve as a reading nook or home office. Just ahead, the guest bathroom is perpendicular to the main laundry room, where a front-loading, energy-efficient washer and dryer rest in a leak-proof galvanized steel tub with built-in drain. Two generously sized bedrooms at the top of the hallway boast large closets and cloth Venetian blinds.

For all the attention to historic detail, there’s no concession to dark corners or low lighting. Crisp, polished woodwork is illumined by skylights and embedded spotlights. In the master suite, a small balcony accessible by glass double doors invites in even more light. No creature comfort is overlooked in this room, which includes a pass-through closet and a walk-in closet large enough for luggage and all four seasons’ wardrobe. A gas-burning fireplace will keep you cozy in bed after you enjoy a long soak in your whirlpool tub with built-in heater. The granite ornamenting the shower matches the countertops spanning the length of dual vanities, where custom cabinetry maximizes storage space for toiletries and cosmetics. In all the home’s bathrooms, low-flow, WaterSense certified plumbing fixtures keep bath time regimens green (while the high efficiency Versatex direct vent water heater ensures that even the longest shower never runs cold!).

From the privacy of your backyard to the friendly sidewalks of Rosemont and the nearby neighborhoods of Del Ray and Old Town, you have countless options for your evenings and weekends. You’re a leisurely stroll from the wine bar/gourmet market Grape + Bean Rosemont, and within minutes’ walk to either Braddock or King Street Metro Station and Amtrak for your commuting needs. Off-street parking and quick access to Route 1, I-95 and Reagan National Airport keep D.C. and other major cities within reach — all while you enjoy your quiet respite from the hustle.