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A second floor landing with ornate iron railings overlooks
The back yard features a gazebo with a wood-burning fireplace, a brick patio, and a mulched garden of plants and shrubs. The window-laden half-round turret lets plenty
The kitchen offers plenty of cabinet space, granite tops for the island and counters, and stainless steel appliances.
A fully equipped basement home theater comes with the house
Attention to detail is evident in the stained-glass walls that separate rooms without inhibiting the passage of light or closing off the flow of the floor plan.
'Rose Hill,' at the corner of William Street and College Avenue, was designed and built to present a historic appearance despite being a brand-new structure. |
AHOUSE SUCH AS this one deserves a name, and it has been dubbed "Rose Hill." Brand-new but built to look old, it is remarkable in many ways, not the least of which is how close it comes to filling its 11,000-square-foot lot.
It's the big, new brick house at 1201 William St., at the corner of College Avenue, built on speculation by Paul Sukalo of Southern Comfort Homes of Spotsylvania County. He planned from the beginning to put the house up for auction once it was completed, and unless he is made an offer he can't refuse in the coming week, the bidding will begin at 11 a.m., Saturday, June 19.
From the day that site work began 15 months ago, and passers-by took note of the posted rendering of the house and its description, the community has taken over the speculating. Will this big addition fit well into the community? Is it really going to fit on that lot? Who is going to buy it and for how much?
The answers, in order, are: It's a matter of opinion; Yes, it fits; and, We'll soon find out.
Sukalo said he was granted a variance by the city to fill so much of the lot. He has so far received three offers for the property, all described only as being in excess of $1 million, but they have not been accepted.
The project has generated so much local interest that Sukalo, in cooperation with auctioneer John Nicholls of Nicholls Auction Co. and agent Judy Johnson of RE/MAX real estate in Fredericksburg, has arranged for public tours of the house. The final one is this Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.
To give the house a more finished appearance, Sukalo decided to add furnishings supplied by Simms Furniture in Fredericksburg. The buyer will have the option of keeping the furniture for an additional $60,000, or not.
Many of the contractors and suppliers involved with the project are from the Fredericksburg area and Central Virginia, something Sukalo said he strives for. Visitors who see a feature in the home that they particularly like can pick up the contractor's business card on site. It's a scenario that has no doubt taken place time and again.
The most visible part of the house, the exterior, is also among Sukalo's favorites. "I've never seen brickwork done any better," he said, referring to the efforts of James Frazier, a masonry contractor from Catlett.
The brickwork, along with the manufactured-slate roof, was a key to giving the house the look of "old Fredericksburg," Sukalo said. The colored mortar and the specialty bricks supplied by Orange County's General Shale Product Corp.--some 46,000 of them--created the historic look Sukalo wanted. The copper gutters and downspouts, custom-designed window transoms, lighting fixtures and overall architecture all contribute to the home's appearance.
And while we're talking about the exterior, there is actually a bit of a yard surrounding the house. There are grassy portions flanking the front-porch steps, which are lighted.
The rear yard features a gazebo with a wood-burning fireplace. The rest of the privacy-fenced yard is a low-maintenance affair, with a large brick patio area, stone walkways and mulched areas filled with plants and shrubs. Outdoor lighting in the back yard is supplied by fixtures with welcoming glass- pineapple globes.
Sukalo credits architect J.G. Brown of Residential Design Group of Lake Ridge for providing the design and floor plan that allowed him to build the house he wanted.
Inside are the features and design touches that set the house apart. There are four levels of living space. By finishing off the attic, Sukalo increased the listed square footage to 8,150.
Beyond the columned front porch are a parlor with a tray ceiling to the left, and a dining room to the right. Each has a fireplace, two of the five natural-gas-fueled units inside the house.
Traffic passes by silently outside, thanks to the sound-deadening effect of the brick, insulation and drywall.
The main and second levels have oak flooring. The attic and basement are carpeted. There are 10-foot ceilings on the main level and 9-foot ceilings upstairs and in the basement.
An elevator serves the lower three levels.
Behind the dining room are a breakfast area and center-island kitchen with tile flooring. The surfaces are granite-topped and the appliances are stainless-steel, top-of-the-line models. Extra features include a second dishwasher and a pot-filling faucet over the commercial-grade range.
The wide-open design allows the kitchen area to flow into the two-story family room, which is striking with its wall of windows and two pairs of French doors that lead to the rear patio.
The family room is separated from the left side of the house by a wall of stained glass by Tina Roberts Studios of New Market. That portion of the house includes a conservatory featuring a half-turret of windows that reaches to the second-story master suite.
Interior furnishings were selected and arranged by Paula Davis; bathroom fixtures and decorative hardware were selected by Sharon Roscoe.
Adjacent to the conservatory is a business suite, with an office, library, wet bar and full bathroom. The library walls are lined with tall, richly finished built-in bookshelves. The library also has a fireplace.
The stairway to the second floor features custom ironwork by Universal Metal Products of Clinton, Md., topped with hardwood banisters. It lands in a loft area with a balcony that overlooks the family room. A doorway leads to a small second-story outdoor balcony directly above the main entry.
The master suite is large, with a deep tray ceiling and a pair of walk-in closets. The bathroom features separate vanities, a private water closet with bidet, a large shower with eight shower heads, a jetted soaker tub and a brass towel warmer.
A secondary bedroom also has its own full bathroom. Two other bedrooms share a buddy bath.
Sukalo decided to finish off the attic, which could serve as a game room or storage area.
A fifth bedroom suite above the two-car garage has its own access from the lower level and would serve as private quarters for guests or an au pair.
The garage also received attention to detail--from the baseboard molding to the brass window hardware to the specially coated concrete floor.
The basement was designed for maximum exercise, relaxation and entertainment. There is a mirrored workout room with adjacent sauna, and an extra room for hobbies. The soundproofed media room comes with a home theater system designed and installed by Tweeter of Central Park. The components include a 50-inch widescreen television.
The basement also has a sitting area and open space--for a pool table, perhaps? The bar is nearby, and behind it is a cooled wine cellar with hand-painted floor tiles and spaces for 1,500 bottles.
Sukalo said a portion of the proceeds from the auction will be donated in the name of his late son. "I will give John [auctioneer Nicholls] a figure to meet. Ten percent of any amount above that will be donated to the [Thurman Brisben] homeless shelter," he said.
To reach RICHARD AMRHINE: 540/374-5406 ramrhine@freelancestar.com
