Savvy Updates Meet Period Charm on Arlington Avenue

Pictures don’t do justice to this Fairmount cutie with an easy to remember address at 1111 West Arlington Avenue.

And this is a great time of year to visit Fairmount, with seasonal paired American flags up at every intersection for the Fourth of July holiday, underscoring the small-town, long ago atmosphere of this quaint, ever-popular Southside ‘hood.

The exterior is characteristically colorful with a lively mix of blues and contrasting orange doors. However, the small profile is deceiving.

This 1921 vintage bungalow packs nearly 2,100 square feet of living space with potentially four bedrooms and two-and-one-half bathrooms. A second floor, not visible from the front, accommodates two of the four bedrooms.

The nearly century-old house was thoroughly renovated last year, including upgrades to plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. The floors are refurbished original pine. Space has been opened up to a semi-open plan with new trim custom milled to match the existing woodwork. Off of the living room, behind French doors, is a sunny office/den which could, if needed, become a fourth bedroom.

Looking through the cased opening at the center of the living room you enjoy an uninterrupted sight line, front to back, from the dining room opened to the kitchen and mudroom behind.

And here is where the photography disappoints. Overexposure doesn’t do justice to the becoming blue of the cabinets and the attractive slate color of the oversized porcelain tile floors. Nor can one see clearly the elongated diamond tiles in the backsplash.

Materials and appliances are of top quality. Counters are pristine white quartz. The large double ovens are top-of-the-line GE Profile. Abundant cabinets go all of the way to the ceiling.

The mudroom at back is cozy and useful “found space” brightened with a fashionable wallpaper. To the right is laundry area and powder room with a deep under stair closet.

And here is a Fairmount rarity — a downstairs principle suite. The bedroom is admittedly small, but it is part of a full-on suite with a large closet and a bath containing double sinks, shower stall, and claw-footed tub.

Here the photography does capture the pleasing hue of the aquamarine cabinets. The floors are black and white Hispano-Moresque tile. I’m over the reclaimed lumber accent wall, but it is characteristic of BoHo Fairmount.

The second floor containing two bedrooms can be detected by looking at the back of the house. The yard is fairly typical of Fairmount with a patio and plenty of room for children to play. There is one covered parking space behind an electric gate.

Fairmount really is something special. It is the largest National Historic District in the Southwest. You can make the Open House from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 28, an excuse for a visit. The website has a list of houses of interest for a drive by.

Matt Lewis of League Real Estate has priced 1111 W. Arlington Avenue at $479,900.