5131 Catharine St

In the middle of a classic tree-lined West Philly block sits this lovely home with great curb appeal. The home was totally renovated in 2012, and since then the sellers have added lots of personal touches that highlight the intact original charm and separate this home from all those cookie-cutter rehabs. A large front patio sits behind a planting bed with a mix of annuals and perennials already in bloom, and there’s room to add more containers or super-charming garden seating to sit back and smell the flowers. Inside, in addition to the traditional rowhome floorplan the main level provides two bonus spaces: a tiled sunroom at the front and a huge mudroom with half bath at the rear. A large window from the sunroom allows southern light to flood into the living room, highlighting the hardwood floors and exposed brick wall. Through an oversized archway is the dining room that features a chair rail, floor-to-ceiling glass block window and a breakfast bar open to the kitchen for easy-breezy entertaining. The U-shaped kitchen features another large window, granite countertops, undermount stainless steel sink, mosaic tile backsplash and wood cabinets. The enormous mudroom has a stackable LG washer/dryer, utility sink, lots of space for storage and access to that must-have main-floor powder room. Out back is a large yard that, like the front, can be low-maintenance but also offers the avid gardener plenty of room for landscape design. The main suite sits at the front of the second floor and has a pretty bay window, dual closets with bonus storage above, and an en-suite bath with handsome wood vanity and skylight. The middle bedroom is a nice size with a window over the breezeway, and the large room at the back has two exposures and a double-wide closet with storage above. The hall bath has a nice big window, ceramic tile tub surround and small linen closet. With laundry on the main floor, the basement is free for storage, though high ceilings certainly make finishing it an option. The best of Baltimore Ave is at your fingertips, and both Cedar and Clark parks are super close.