1302 Washington Ave (Fredericksburg, Virginia)

 house, place with historical importance

BY RICHARD AMRHINE (Free Lance Star - 01/25/2013)

At first glance, the appeal of 1302 Washington Ave. is in its "free classic" trim and Victorian-styled architectural details--the front-facing gable with fan-top window, the pretty blue siding and cream-colored dentil molding, the front entry portico.

Then you might be surprised to learn that this house holds 4,150 square feet of living space, which is a part of this book you can't judge by its cover. Like many homes on relatively narrow lots along Washington Avenue, interior space is provided by building up and back.

Also like other houses along Washington Avenue, 1302 has the combination of an older-home floor plan at the front, which blends into the more modern, open floor plan that came with subsequent additions built onto the rear.

And while there have been significant changes and additions to 1302 over the years, there is the potential for further updating and modernization, such as retrofitted central air conditioning.

That will be left to the discretion of the next steward, as owners Kathy and Carl Cooper have decided to put the home on the market. They've listed it with Janel O'Malley and Robin Marine of Coldwell Banker Carriage House Realty in Fredericksburg. The asking price is $825,000.

THE TOUR

Visitors are welcomed into a large and inviting foyer with a piano and seating that make it an extension of the living room or parlor to the right. From here it's easy to take in the features that make this home typical of those built in 1908 Fredericksburg.

The main staircase rising to the second story is a graceful fixture in the foyer. The baseboards, window and door frames, and crown moldings are simple but substantial. As expected, there are bull's-eye rosettes on the door and window frame corners. The living room's wood-burning fireplace has a classically carved and detailed surround with fluted columns.

From the living room, a sight line extends to the rear of the house. Behind the living room is the dining room, which shares the original narrow-plank hardwood flooring found in the original portions of the first and second floors. Those same areas are hot-water radiator heated.

What was probably original kitchen space was enlarged and combined with a family room that was added to the back of the house at some point.

The Coopers modernized the kitchen, giving it a cooktop island and attractive medium cherry-finished cabinetry. An unneeded doorway providing access to the foyer was closed off to create pantry space. The kitchen spills into the family room, which has a wood stove for cozy warmth. There is plenty of attractive built-in shelving here as well as an adjacent full bathroom.

Added to the rear is a two-story porch. The screened-in lower level is gently curved at the back and adds visual interest.

As the house was expanded, changes were also made to the original second-story floor plan. A small bedroom was sacrificed to provide space for a bathroom and create a true master suite.

The original portion includes another bedroom and a guest bathroom.

The rear addition provided space for a secondary bedroom suite any teenager would love. It has access to the upper porch or sun deck, which is built using maintenance-free materials and offers views of the city to the west, especially when the leaves are off the trees.

Nearby is a back staircase to the kitchen on the main level.

In recent years, the third-floor attic space was converted into a recreation room and yet another bedroom suite with its own full bathroom.

Altogether, the house has four bedrooms and four full bathrooms.

Typical of older houses, this one has some interesting idiosyncrasies. A few steps down toward the partially finished basement is a potting shed that opens to the back patio. It has a sink and concrete floor. The basement is used primarily for laundry and storage. Given that there is plumbing in the potting shed, a new owner might choose to convert it to a laundry room, which would bring the machines a half-level up.

More for property definition than anything else, a low brick wall that probably dates to the home's construction surrounds the backyard. The Coopers recently completed a stamped concrete rear patio.

Also at the rear of the property is a driveway, accessed via an easement, that provides space for off-street parking.