102 E Melrose St, Chevy Chase, MD 20815

Description

Some properties are defined by their rooms. This home is defined by its garden which was reimagined by well known landscape designer Kathryn Everett. Set on a prime .27-acre lot in the heart of Chevy Chase Village, this 1918 Center Hall Colonial is wrapped in one of the most private and fully realized landscapes in the neighborhood, decades in the making, with mature trees, specimen plantings, and a remarkable framework of stone, brick, and iron lends the property a depth, character, and serenity rarely found today.

The welcome begins at the street. A weathered fieldstone wall, softened by trailing ivy, encloses the front garden, where an iron gate opens to a bluestone walk edged in granite. Clipped boxwood lines the path to broad bluestone steps, and fern-filled urns flank the arched portico and its classic fanlight entry, all beneath a canopy of grand shade trees.

Behind the house, the garden unfolds as a succession of inviting destinations. A white pergola draped in heritage wisteria shelters a deep porch with space to dine a dozen guests under hanging lanterns. The steps descend to a herringbone brick terrace framed by boxwood, hornbeams, Japanese maples, and a towering bamboo screen that encloses the garden in green. A bocce court and a whimsical fountain add playfulness. There is year round interest with the wisteria-covered pergola blooming in the spring, or the red maple trees beyond the bluestone terrace, a lovely spot to gather for cool autumn evenings. There is a handsome path from the back porch to the detached two-car garage, finished in the same buttery stucco as the house and dressed with arched trellis panels, so even the walk to the car feels like a stroll through the park. Garage is equipped with an EV charger, lots of room for bikes and storage.

Inside, the home carries the graceful proportions of its era. A wood-burning fireplace with a finely detailed Federal-style mantel anchors the living room, where crown moldings, a plaster ceiling medallion, and windows on three sides fill the room with light. The first floor features an office library at the front, a double size Living room and large hallway. The gracious family room features arched windows draw the garden into view, and connects with a large eat-in kitchen. Upstairs the principal bedroom has a small library alcove and large dressing room that connects with the ensuite bath. Three more Bedrooms and lovely marble bath are on the second floor. The third floor features a grand guest suite or activity room including a bedroom and recently renovated bath. The unfinished basement is very large with a fourth bath, ready for a value added renovation. In total the house features five bedrooms and four and a half baths with room to grow downstairs or out the back, providing generous space for living and entertaining. Truly a garden sanctuary in Chevy Chase Village