Property Week of the
49 Belknap Road, West Hartford
Asked to describe this home at 49 Belknap Road in West Hartford, Realtor Lori Meyerson, who is handling the sale, did not hesitate. “It’s a beautiful home in a fabulous
location,” she said.
The West Hartford neighborhood in which this home is located is a standout. The street is lined with carefully maintained classic colonials, Elizabeth Park is just a block away, and buses to transport children to one of West Hartford’s highly acclaimed schools stop nearby along the street.
“We’ve loved living here,” said Eddie Binder, who has owned the house with his wife Kathy for the last 22 years. “It is a classic center-hall colonial.”
That is a quick summation of this spacious and inviting home. It is a classic colonial from the last century, but it has been thoughtfully and carefully updated for convenience and comfort, with the Binders demonstrating that the home is well suited
to modern lifestyles.
A prime example is the formal dining room. Located just to the left of the front entry, this room features a decorative shiplap treatment below the chair rail, crown molding, and two built-in corner cupboards with glass doors that are ideal for displaying fine china or other family treasures. The Binders, however, have repurposed this room to serve as a comfortable den that flows effortlessly to the large eat-in kitchen. As is the case throughout the house, the trim and wood floors are original and carefully maintained, meaning that the next owners could easily return this room to its formal dining function.
As for the kitchen, it is large, bright and airy. Granite counters provide ample space for meal preparation while the original cabinetry offers flexible storage options. The upper cabinets along one wall have doors with glass inserts, ideal for more displays. Under these cabinets is another granite counter with a smaller second sink. “This sink is great for little children to wash their hands because it is lower,” said Kathy Binder.
Other highlights in the kitchen include a tiled floor that has been upgraded to include radiant heat. The Binder’s grown daughter has drawn an illustration suggesting that this floor is best appreciated by people who have gone shoeless. All the stainless steel kitchen appliances, including a substantial Viking stove, are included in the sale.
A short walk from the kitchen, past the half bath that serves the first floor, takes a visitor to the large living room that flows from the front to the rear of the home. Generously sized windows ensure a flood of daylight,
even on a partially overcast day. The room is large enough to accommodate seating for a gathering of family and friends with space left over for formal dining, which is how the Binders have set up the room. A beautiful fireplace serves as a focal point while French doors at one end lead to a four-season sunroom that is currently used as a home office. To give an idea of the space available, “We’ve set up the living room for dining for 25 guests,” Eddie Binder said.
The open stairway in the front hall leads to the second floor and four of the home’s five bedrooms. Each is in a corner bedroom with windows on two sides. This would be ideal for summertime cross ventilation when the home was built, but is probably less of an issue today as three years ago the Binders added central air conditioning. However, these windows still do wonders when it comes to gathering natural light.
The primary bedroom suite is roomy, has a walk-in closet and a private full bath with a shower. Another tiled full bath with a tub serves the second floor’s other three bedrooms, one of which has dual closets. The upstairs hall also accesses back stairs to the kitchen area.
The third floor features one more fully finished bedroom and another full bath. “We’ve had guests who have loved this space,” Eddie Binder said of this
bedroom. It is roomy, comfortable and private. The third floor also accesses a generous attic storage area.
The basement is large and dry. It currently serves several functions, including providing space for informal gatherings. It also houses the home’s laundry and mechanical systems, which include a Weil McLain boiler, and two storage rooms.
The yard is large and level with signs of ample attention having been paid to landscaping. On a tour Eddie Binder pointed to laurels “…that will flower beautifully in the spring. The daffodils have also started to come out, but the recent cold weather has probably confused them,” he said.
The yard has a patio, which has served nicely for large outdoor parties, space for an in-ground pool if the next owners wish to add this feature, and an electronic pet boundary. Seven-zone irrigation keeps the area properly watered during the summer.
“The [two-car] garage right now is at the back of the house. If somebody wanted to add a family room back there, they could put the garage on the [east] side,” Meyerson said. To which Kathy Binder added, “We’ve done plans to move the garage to that side of the house and connect it to the kitchen with a breezeway.”
Looking around at the original and carefully maintained details, Kathy added, “Do you know what I love about this house? We’ve used every space. There aren’t any wasted rooms. And we love it. We hope somebody else will love it, too.”