Some homes make you choose between charm and function. This one politely declines that arrangement.
Set on a quiet residential street in Del Ray, this home gives you the kind of location buyers keep trying to find: close to Mt. Vernon Avenue, 0.6 miles from Braddock Road Metro, and tucked into a neighborhood that feels lived-in.
The full brick exterior sets the tone with a bay window, mature trees, and a solid sense of presence that feels even better in person. Inside, the living room is warm and bright, with original hardwood floors, a decorative fireplace, and natural light through the bay window. It has character, and the bones to back it up.
Original hardwood floors continue through the main level, and an arched doorway between the living room and kitchen creates separation without chopping up the flow. The home feels connected, intentional, and easy to move through.
The renovated kitchen brings in the updates buyers actually want: white shaker cabinetry to the ceiling, quartz countertops, a geometric tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a gas range, and under-cabinet lighting. Just off the kitchen, the dining area opens to the screened porch, giving the main level a natural flow from morning coffee to late-evening porch sitting.
And the porch deserves its own paragraph, because frankly, it earned one.
With a cedar-planked vaulted ceiling, ceiling fan, full screening on three sides, and views of the backyard, this is the outdoor room that changes how the home lives. It is where you read, work, eat, avoid mosquitoes, and pretend you always remember to water the herbs.
The backyard continues the story with raised garden beds, mature plantings, a stamped concrete patio, and a detached two-car garage. In Del Ray, real parking and real storage are not a given. Here, you get both, plus attic storage above the garage for bikes, tools, holiday bins, and the mystery box you refuse to open.
Upstairs, three bedrooms and a renovated full bath keep the home functional without losing its original character. The primary bedroom is generously sized, with hardwood floors, two exposures, and enough wall space to arrange furniture like an adult with options. The two additional bedrooms also have hardwood floors, ceiling fans, and windows looking toward the trees, making them well-suited for bedrooms, office space, guests, or whatever your household needs next.
The full bath has marble-look tile from floor to ceiling, a white shaker vanity with a marble countertop, and a clean finish that feels classic without being fussy.
The lower level adds flexible finished space without the sad-basement subplot. Painted brick walls, tile floors, a full bath with a walk-in shower and floating vanity, and a comfortable family room create options for media, guests, work, workouts, or whatever the current season of life requires. The separate laundry and utility area includes a utility sink and full-size Samsung front-loaders on pedestals. Not glamorous. Very useful. Sometimes that is the romance.
And then there is Del Ray.
Mt. Vernon Avenue begins less than two blocks away, putting Junction Bakery, Evening Star Cafe, Taqueria Poblano, St. Elmo's Coffee Pub, Cheesetique, and neighborhood shops and restaurants within easy reach. Braddock Road Metro is 0.6 miles away. Reagan National Airport is a short drive. Eugene Simpson Stadium Park, Potomac Yard Park, and the Washington Sailing Marina are close enough that outdoor plans here feel less like events and more like Tuesday.
This is the kind of home that works because the pieces already make sense: a quiet street, a deeply walkable neighborhood, thoughtful updates, preserved character, outdoor space, garage parking, storage, and flexible living space.
The next chapter does not have to be a compromise. This one already handled the negotiations.
