One has a rotunda with a richly detailed mosaic tile floor circled by wooden columns. Another is surrounded by so much greenery that it is easy to miss the classic details of the stately manse. And the third, a cozy aerie, has a stunning view from its roof deck, of Harvard Square and the Radcliffe Quadrangle nearby to the postcard picture of the Boston skyline across the Ch arles River. Each of these three eye-popping properties has a unique feature or unexpected touch. They may be right for only a certain kind of buyer. But their appeal is universal.
ROCKPORT - Set smack in the middle of this seaside town, this former library built with Andrew Carnegie’s money a century ago was resurrected from a forlorn use as a storage space and renovated into one of the most unusual homes in New England by Gail and David Vastola. The Greek Revival building, with its blond granite walls and detailed trim, has a central rotunda that was the library’s main public space. The rotunda floor is a breathtaking mosaic, and the room is ringed by eight columns of brown heart of pine.
The main floor has a sun-splashed living room with a hand-carved marble fireplace mantle, and a doorway onto a patio made from the granite landing of an exterior stairway. The gallery-style kitchen is roomy, has a chandelier and a granite island, top-shelf appliances, and maple cabinets. The first floor has recessed lighting throughout and Canadian fir flooring, treated to look original.
The master suite has an exposed granite wall, huge wood-framed windows, and a sitting area framed by two large closets.
Steps away is the master bath, with soaking tub, separate shower, and marble flooring. The second bedroom, cast in a pale yellow, has a full bath. The basement, once the youth reading room, has a full guest suite with attached bath, an office, and the utility and laundry rooms. The listing broker is Amanda Armstrong of By The Sea Sotheby’s International Realty in Beverly Farms.
NEWTON - Most of the front of this English Country-style house is hidden underneath a comforting blanket of bushes and trees, setting the stage for the back yard, where a small nature trail can be found. Gardening is a passion for the current owners, who added a greenhouse, large rectangular flower patches, and a circulating fountain off a spacious wooden deck sheathed in greenery. The back of the yard is lined with towering trees, and underneath them is a path of paving stones that has two park benches. The tunnel deadens sound and provides a welcome buffer.
On the first floor, the massive house is dark-toned through the living room, study and family room, giving way to a kitchen made brighter by the natural light pouring in from a skylight. The home, built around 1900 and cared for by just two families, still has the ice boxes from an earlier era off the main kitchen.
The second floor has four bedrooms, including the master with its own bath, and a second full bath for the rest of the household.
The third floor, which could serve as a nanny suite, is a self-contained world, with its own full bath, sitting room, and bedroom. Miceal Chamberlain of Historic Homes Inc. in Newton is the listing broker.
CAMBRIDGE - The penthouse unit of this 1970s building on Chauncy Street, just outside Harvard Square, offers snug living on two floors. While one of three penthouse suites in the building, it is the only one with a roof deck. From nine stories up, the perch has a sweeping vista because height restrictions prevent construction of view-killing buildings nearby.
From here you can see miles in nearly every direction, down the Charles River to the observation tower at Logan Airport, back across Harvard Square and the Radcliffe Quadrangle and west to Arlington Heights and beyond. The spacious deck has wooden planking and benches. Only electric grills are allowed.
Inside the condo, the living room, dining room and a galley kitchen are on the lower floor, lit by large windows and light-toned paint. What could have been a bland living space has been given life by an added set of walls with columns that create great spaces for displaying art. The second floor hosts the spacious master bedroom with a whirlpool tub and bidet, the two other bedrooms, and hallways lined with book shelves. Storage space can be found throughout. Joan Marszalek of Coldwell Banker Residential in Cambridge is the listing broker.
