366 5th Street

A slice of splendid! Nestled among its neighbors of three-story townhouses on tree-lined Fifth Street, this one has appeal to spare and happy surprises at every turn. With an owners' duplex and a third-floor rental, the house offers plenty of living space, even if you avail yourself of its rental income. The garden level is an open plan as living room, dining room and kitchen with tin ceilings, exposed brick and 4-in. plank oak floors lending warmth and authenticity. The kitchen is appointed with a double porcelain farm sink, five-burner stove, a double-wide pantry, an island with extra storage and glass-fronted cabinets. A sweet powder room with a Toto Washlet on this floor adds convenience, and a tall sleeve of built-in bookshelves is the perfect spot for your cookbook library. In the back of the house, there's an old-fashioned cedar-paneled sunroom with an antique wood-burning stove that invites readers to settle in with a cup of tea. Sliders open up onto a magical garden where a brick path meanders toward a secluded patio past mature perennial: oak leaf, paniculata and climbing hydrangeas; golden acuba; and winter-blooming mahonia. Designed to have interest all year round, the garden is as pretty in winter as it is in the spring. Organic horticulture techniques mean no chemicals have tainted this leafy refuge, a haven for local birds, as well as exotic migrants who can be spotted feasting on berries and seed heads. The parlor floor offers a large rear-facing bedroom with a walk-in closet, a smaller front bedroom and a full bath decorated with custom handmade mosaics. The top-floor apartment has an open kitchen/living/dining room with a rear-facing deck, a bedroom -- currently used as a studio -- that features a functional wood-burning stove perched on a mosaic hearth. There's another large full bath on this floor, as well. The basement has a concrete floor, great ceiling height (over 7 ft!), a gas boiler and separate HW heater and plenty of space for clean storage. Whether you use the house in its current configuration or opt to combine all three floors, it will serve you well for many years to come -- as will nearby neighborhood institutions: Stone Park Cafe, Cafe Martin, Zuzu's Petals, The Gate, the Fourth St. farmer's market, Leopoldi's Hardware and Washington Park's playground, which offers recreation for folks of all ages, as well as year-round cultural events at the beloved historic Old Stone House.