1808 Sulgrave Avenue, Mt. Washington.
Hot House: Unusual Octagonal Victorian Shingle House in Mt. Washington. 5 Beds/5 Baths. 2,619 SF. Asking price: $699,000.
What: Are you the type of person who wants to live in a house that is just as unique as you are? If so, this is absolutely the most perfect house! Built in 1884, this cedar-shingled octagonal house is literally one-of-a-kind! The most well-known of the numerous octagons in Mt. Washington is the Octagon House on the campus of Johns Hopkins on Smith Avenue. While the octagon house movement was only 20 years long, ending in about 1865, this house was built a little later and has numerous Victorian details.
This house is filled with light and loads of windows! Although the walls are a bit wonky, as expected, with the right furniture placement and a good eye for layout, the house can be a showplace.
The front door opens into the main room, which leads to the dining room, which leads to the kitchen, which leads to the main room! In the center, are closets and a powder room, as well as stairs leading to the basement. (Honestly, if any house came with a floor plan in the listing, this should have been it!)
The second floor was renovated in 2022. The renovation added a new bathroom with a heated floor to the primary bedroom, which takes up the entire back of the house. A laundry room and guest bathroom were also added. It’s really amazing how long it took to make 2nd floor laundry rooms a thing! The third floor, with its peaked roofline is home to additional bedrooms and a possible office space. The basement has a lot of storage space, and can be finished. It walks out to the lower level of the property.
The driveway, which can be accessed from Kelly Avenue, leads to the rear of the house and has space for two or three cars, depending on the size. There are porches on either side of the house in true Victorian tradition, and a lovely covered front porch. Several of the windows have decorative awnings, and over-all, the house is quite charming.
Where: This octagonal house is a quick walk into Mt. Washington Village with all of its shops, restaurants and bars. It is across from the Mt. Washington Elementary School, which is perfect if you have young children. The Mt. Washington Arboretum is also just across Kelly Avenue.
Final Appraisal: This quirky house won’t appeal to everyone, just the person who has a great sense of who they are and is confident in their taste. It is fun, funky and classic all at the same time. The location is great and it’s the direct opposite of a cookie-cutter house! The listing for the house is here.
All photographs from the listing.
