Resale of the week: 1933 Wesley Heights Colonial

The neighborhood of Wesley Heights in Northwest Washington may not have the same level of name recognition as nearby Georgetown or Cleveland Park, yet this community has some of the city’s most elegant and sophisticated residences.

Developed in the 1920s by W.C. and A.N. Miller, Wesley Heights surrounds Foxhall Road just south of Nebraska Avenue. The neighborhood’s tree-lined streets are bordered by Battery-Kemble Park and Glover Park, yet residents are within a few minutes of shops, restaurants and entertainment in Georgetown, Friendship Heights and downtown Washington.

A stately Colonial single-family home at 4433 Klingle Street NW in Wesley Heights is on the market for $1,650,000. This home, built in 1933, has been renovated and was expanded with a two-story addition approximately 10 years ago. The home now has more than 4,200 finished square feet of living space along with a terraced, fenced backyard.

The home’s grounds include a low flagstone wall surrounding garden beds at the front of the property, with a flagstone walkway and stone steps leading from the front sidewalk and the asphalt drive adjacent to the home. The drive offers off-street parking for several cars in addition to the one-car garage. Stone steps lead to a flagstone stoop under the covered front entrance.

One of the surprises of this home is the depth of the residence and the lot.

A flagstone terrace at the back of the house offers a private urban oasis for entertaining or relaxing in several seasons, with its raised brick built-in outdoor fireplace and raised brick garden beds.

The terrace is reached through French doors and glass doors from both the living room and family room for easy flow during a large party. Just beyond the terrace, flagstone paths and steps lead through the multilevel backyard, which has garden beds and is fully fenced, making it a safe haven for pets and children.

While this residence has maintained its classic sensibility, the owners added some modern touches, beyond updating the kitchen and baths, that add to its livability. The home has a central sound system that adds to the ambience when entertaining. Solar panels on the roof, which are invisible from the street, have reduced the utility bills by approximately 60 percent.

Inside, the original hardwood flooring has been restored in the main part of the house, along with the crown molding. The living room and family room have recessed lighting, and multiple oversized windows throughout the home allow for plenty of natural light. The living room has a large window facing the street, two side windows that flank the wood-burning fireplace and a set of French doors opening onto the terrace.

On the opposite side of the foyer is the formal dining room, which has hardwood flooring, windows on two sides and two built-in china cabinets restored to their original beauty. Above the dining table is an unusual chandelier with flameless candles that bridges the home’s historical and modern features.

The original hardwood flooring in the formal dining room extends into the adjacent kitchen, which has been upgraded with recessed lighting, custom-designed gas stainless steel appliances, honed black granite counters and white wood cabinets, including an appliance garage. Double windows over the sink add to the natural light in the kitchen, which opens into the family-room addition.

The family room features tile flooring, a beamed ceiling and a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors facing the terrace. One wall of the family room features built-in bookcases and cabinets, and another wall includes a wood-burning fireplace flanked by windows. It is easy to picture a lovely fall party with wood burning in the living room, family room and outside on the terrace to warm guests.

Hardwood stairs lead to the upper level, which has three bedrooms and a home office or den. The master suite, part of the new section of this home, includes floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides of the room that overlook the terrace and the tiered gardens. The suite includes a walk-in closet with a window and a renovated full bath with a double-sink vanity, a window and a glass-enclosed combination bath and shower.

The den or study has hardwood flooring and a window overlooking the street. The front bedroom, currently used as a home office, has two closets and windows on two sides of the room. The second bedroom also has two windows and a walk-in closet with a window.

These three rooms share an elegantly renovated hall bath with a glass-enclosed steam shower with a built-in seat and a glass-block window.

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