SoPhilly Spotlight: Bella Vista ‘Architectural Gem’ edition
This week’s SoPhilly Spotlight is a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom home at 604 Catharine Street with rustic charm and beautiful architectural detailing throughout.
For $419,900, this 1,058 sq. ft. home could be yours.
More from the listing:
Architectural gem in the heart of Bella Vista. Enter into this lovely home appointed with exposed brick walls, beamed ceiling, and a gas fireplace. Photos depict the first floor used in two different ways(living room and then dining) depending on how residents want to configure the space.
The kitchen was in Philadelphia Magazine’s Best Home Kitchens. It features Antique blue glass cabinet doors, state of the art appliances, country sink, milled pews repurposed for the flooring, and mushroom board clad entranceway.
Bathroom has teak floors and vanity with reclaimed copper tub made into sink, elevator door, and brick and marble shower. This home was formerly a 2 bedroom. The 2nd bedroom was converted to an open sitting room/office with custom cabinetry made from water tower wood as well as kick plates for stairs–some of the original boards having graffiti markings.
3rd floor is a romantic open space with high ceilings– light filled with windows on the north and south side of the house. South side opens to a breezeway for a lovely rooftop garden. This is a one of a kind property…. a true oasis in the heart of the city.
Optimized space for minimalist living with the ability to expand onto lot which has a curb-cut for parking potential. There are architectural drawings available. Please note that property was formerly 604 and 606 Catharine St., home and lot. It is now on one separate deed.
Exposed brick… beams… gas fireplace… basically, a trifecta of things that will make your home unbearably cold. One man’s slum is another’s architectural gem, I guess.
I love the opinions on the house spotlights…last post in bella vista had me dying all the experts chiming in. People hate the modern/quick flips and they hate a house that restored most of it’s original charm. SLUM haha. This house is gorgeous inside there is no getting around it.
It’s ok for someone to feel differently than you, you know. The post last week was awful, and brought to mind a lot of the houses I recently looked at when I was considering buying. I think this has some nice features (The shelves one either side of the fireplace is a feature I really like) and others that seem thrown together (the bathroom sink). There’s also a lot of practical function that is lost in the name of form. On a friday such as today, when heat retention is quite relevant, I’m sure you’d like to have a little more insulation.
that’s not my point, I’m very familiar/comfortable with people having different opinions than me. I find it entertaining that regardless the house posted on here it’s always getting ridiculed – the sectional sofa being too large or the paint color choices or the price or the quick flip or the energy inefficiencies…
The comments remind me of a few of my very opinionated neighbors who have dirty and unkempt houses.
420K for 1,000 square feet is a sin! ok, rant over..good day.
I agree about that price!
I guess I misunderstood your post. The trend right now either seems to be rehab as quickly as possible with whatever is on sale at Lowe’s, or strip it down to the bare essentials and make it look like a converted barn, neither of which I find very appealing. There are a lot of uneducated buyers right now that are looking for a place that reminds them of that pintrest post they saw, and are willing to overlook the glaring issues.
To be clear, this house has not been restored to most of its original charm…no residence was ever meant to have exposed brick or floor joists. The original character was removed, but luckily the owner chose not to re-cover things with big box hardware store specials like last week’s home.
Love your comment and I agree. It’s a bit too rustic for me. While exposed brick looks nice it is dusty. And exposed brick in the bath? No thank you. I like the before house as seen in the actual listing.
My first impression was very favorable, but I agree with the original comment re: cold. I would have to see it in person to judge for myself. And isn’t that the point of a listing, to bring people in? So … good job! I would be tempted, if I needed a home in Philly.
P.S. I forgot … is that a half fridge in the kitchen, or a trick of the light?
No, that’s just an optical illusion — there’s a wall or something cutting off our view of the fridge.
What I can’t figure out is what’s up with the bathroom — does it not have a door?
It’s a half-fridge. I’ve been in the place. there’s very little storage anywhere.
Only if the dog comes with it.
Looks haunted.