538 Decatur St

Blooming fragrant magnolia and brilliant redbud...just in time for Spring! This beautiful 1895 bay-fronted brownstone is 18-feet wide, three stories tall, has a two-story extension, full cellar and landscaped front & rear gardens. This remarkable townhouse boasts an astonishing wealth of original detail: oak parquet floors with ornate borders; beveled pier mirrors; quarter-sawn oak wainscoting; built-in shutters and moldings; five fireplaces with carved over-mantels and tiled hearths and surrounds; oak pocket doors with restored hardware; magnificent cabinetry with beveled glass; and so much more! Creativity, ingenuity, painstaking research and great sourcing on the part of the current owners have yielded a home that is unique in both its beauty and functionality. Massive entry doors and transom bear ornate, bank-worthy solid-bronze grilles and cladding, and a polychromatic encaustic-tiled floor in the oak-paneled vestibule hint as to what lies in store. The front hall boasts a nine-foot-tall pier mirror where over-sized pocket doors reveal the cheerful front parlor, with its huge console mirror and stained-glass transoms over twin bay windows. A magnificent and unusual arched fretwork partition divides this room from the rear parlor, with glass-doored bookcases and a restored wood-burning fireplace. A powder room is cleverly concealed within one of twin parlor closets. Through another set of tall pocket doors lies a tranquil guest room adorned with another stately fireplace and richly collaged Persian-style papers on the walls and ceiling. The third floor -- alternatively a perfect rental apartment -- holds two ample bedrooms, each with its own decorative fireplace and abundant natural light and connected by dual dressing rooms. A former nursery was converted to a galley kitchen, and is easily revertible. Centered off the hall, the sky-lit main bathroom is clad in restored oak wainscoting and has its own on-demand water heater, as well as the rara avis of period bathrooms: a 66-in.-long pedestal tub with nickel-plated fittings. Descend to the garden level to find a formal front-facing den/dining room with a bay window and another beautiful fireplace. Past the swinging door and through the butlers pantry with floor-to-ceiling cabinetry is the spacious eat-in kitchen -- perhaps the most cleverly fashioned room of the house. A unique and substantial custom-made prep table with drawers on both sides anchors the room. A period-styled five-burner AGA Legacy range is nestled into the chimney, which itself stands between restored original glass-doored cabinetry. Under the wide south-facing window sits a double-welled soapstone sink sporting gently patinated brass faucets. The paneled Bosch dishwasher blends seamlessly into the woodwork. Twin utility closets flank a cozy breakfast nook. Toward the rear of the house is a large, cheery laundry room with full-sized appliances and sink. Finally, a sunny full bath boasts a spacious walk-in shower, marble sink with Waterworks faucet and three windows facing south and west. The dry, well-lit, stone-walled cellar has seven-foot ceilings and two south-facing window wells, and houses an updated (09) gas water heater and forced-air furnace. The cedar-fenced back garden has been meticulously designed with bluestone paving accented with an unusual geometry of rusted rectangular steel planters. Notable plantings are a Japanese pine, magenta redbud tree, a highly productive cherry tree and a multitude of colorful perennials. Along with the soothing gurgle of a bowl-like fountain this garden fosters a pacific and picturesque respite from city life. This end of Bed-Stuy offers two subway lines (J and A/C), tree-lined blocks of seemingly endless historic architecture and a constantly growing list of exciting restaurants, stores and services. The New York Times, The Learning Channel, and Steven Soderberghs The Knick have all featured the remarkable assets of 538 Decatur Street. Now its your turn! Dont miss the opportunity to find a home that's had the very best in faithful stewardship and love of place.