3705 Perrysville Avenue
You may have noticed that this attractive residence looks a lot like a farmhouse. That's because it was a farmhouse, way back when it was built in 1898. Antonio purchased the house in 2007, but he has admired it ever since he was about ten years old and working with his father taking care of the houses next door. Antonio remembers looking over and saying, "Wow, I sure love that house!" Years later, when the house hit the market, he wasted no time—he knocked on the door and introduced himself to the owner. He knew even before he entered for the first time that he was going to buy it. Antonio and the seller came to an agreement that very evening.
Antonio has all of the deeds from the house’s previous owners, which, even in history-loving Observatory Hill, is remarkable. The entire house is not original; additions in the 1930s and the 1950s brought it to its present shape. Antonio renovated the house himself shortly after he purchased it, adding a new roof, windows, gutters, walls, floors, paint, and lighting. He also did some of the landscaping.
The entryway features a beautiful chandelier and a built-in bench and chair rail. In the living room, note the original baseboards and built-in shelves. A woodstove helps to keep the house cozy during the colder months, as does the wall-to-wall carpeting.
The dining room features laminate flooring and a built-in cabinet (for wine), but it's the kitchen that really makes this house a fun place to entertain. Originally a porch, the space was enclosed in the 1950s and still boasts its vintage countertops and built-in table and benches. Picture windows and a wall-to-wall carpet make this room a pleasure to visit; Antonio calls it the sunroom because of the view. Just off the kitchen is the kitchen deck, one of two decks in the backyard. A concrete patio alongside the house adds to the outdoor living space.
Antonio enjoys living in his antique farmhouse—his boyhood dream—in Observatory Hill. Just like in the olden times, this area is beautiful and welcoming, a true neighborhood in every sense of the word.