1714 NW 35TH WAY

This 4 bedroom, 3 bath custom-built home looks as though it was designed for the cover of Southern Living Magazine, recalling the gracious residences of Savannah and Charleston. It is nestled on a heavily landscaped lot in the gated NW community of Willowcroft, just minutes from schools, shopping, restaurants, downtown Gainesville and the University of Florida. Enter though a wrought-iron gate, up a brick walkway to the gracious columned front porch, with space for potted plants and a comfortable seating arrangement. The foyer is lined with custom-built bookshelves and opens onto a formal dining room, with a beautiful brass chandelier and plantation shutters on the windows. The living room has a gas fireplace, with a hand-made wood mantlepiece, travertine accents and adjacent built-in shelves and cabinets. Maple cabinets with crown molding, pull-out shelves and ceramic tile counter tops add a gracious aspect to the kitchen. A new black-glass oven-range, with air-fry feature, a stainless-steel Bosch dishwasher, a side-by-side LG stainless-steel refrigerator/freezer, a new microwave and a large pantry closet make meal preparation a pleasure. There is brick-patterned Italian porcelain tile in the kitchen and the adjacent breakfast room, adding to the "old-world" feeling of the area. A spacious owner's suite is entered through French doors and has a deep walk-in closet (built as a "safe room" to withstand hurricanes and tornados) and an adjacent bathroom with double sinks, wood vanities, a soaking tub, a separate stall shower and an enclosed commode. The second and third bedrooms, one of which is lined with bookshelves, share a jack and jill bath, with double sinks and an enclosed commode. The fourth bedroom is on the opposite side of the house, with access to its own bathroom. An upstairs "bonus room", with built-in bookcases, could be used as a home office, a guest room or a quiet retreat. The house has nine-foot ceilings, engineered wood floors (no carpet), paddle fans and crown molding in most rooms, paneled doors, an inside utility room, with laundry sink and cabinets, a security alarm system and a side-entry garage with two automatic openers. A screened porch, entered through French doors from the living room and owner's suite, spans the back of the house and gives access to an enchanted garden. A profusion of flowering trees, shrubs and vines, tiled walkways, trellises, birdbaths and an irrigation system, create a welcoming oasis and attract a variety of birds and butterflies. Willowcroft was designed by Spain Construction as a "pedestrian-oriented neighborhood", shaded by large oak trees, with sidewalks and a small community park overlooking a ravine.