The architect of this house created a grand two-story entry and
turned it to the side to face the house next door instead of the
street. An open corridor through this atrium connects the bedrooms with
the public rooms, but the siting keeps it private.
This is not the only unconventional twist in this 1970s shed-roof
design that adds to its seclusion. The house’s layout is upside down,
with the main living and sleeping areas on the second floor, maximizing
the views, an arrangement you’d expect to find in a beach house. It is
an ingenious plan, and the minimal amount of glass on its street facade
lends it an aura of mystery.
The bedrooms are placed mostly on the street side. High, horizontal
ribbons of windows in these rooms capture lots of light while providing
plenty of options for furniture placement.
The living spaces are arrayed across the rear, where walls of
floor-to-ceiling glass look out to the backyard. The rooms also benefit
from vaulted ceilings, and they flow out to a full-length, second-floor
deck that connects to a lower deck via an exterior stair. The fireplace
has a wood-burning insert. There’s even a breakfast room with two glass
walls adjoining the kitchen — a perfect spot for small dinner
parties. The kitchen is particularly well laid out with double work
areas, two sinks, and lots of room for guests or guest chefs. The
wood-stained cabinets and plastic laminate counters could easily be
improved with a coat of paint and a slab or two of stone or butcher
block.
Downstairs has a large, two-car garage with an attached, heated and
cooled workshop, all below the bedrooms. A full second set of family
rooms, or the perfect mother-in-law wing, is stacked beneath the public
rooms above. The downstairs living suite’s fireplace also has a
wood-burning insert. These rooms have a view across the deck to the
shady rear yard, where broad walks of Arkansas fieldstone lead you deep
into the wooded, half-acre property. There is, of course, a bedroom on
this floor with an en-suite full bath.
There’s a lot of house here for the money. It’s unusual to have such
expansive views in town without looking into your neighbor’s house and
yard. This clever turn of plan could be your secluded enclave in the
suburbs.
5569 Glen Wild
Approximately 5,000 sq. ft.
5 bedrooms, 3 baths; $299,000
Realtor: Hobson & Company, 761-1622
Agent: Laurie McBride, 312-2962
