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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 2017)
at home on the beach J STORY BY NANCY MCCARTHY | PHOTOS PROVIDED ust walk through the front door at the home in the Gearhart Palisades neighborhood and soak in the beauty of the beach that fi lls an entire wall of windows. With spacious rooms, abundant storage and several “extras,” the 2,781-square-foot single-level Cape Cod-style home is meant for relaxation. Whether cozying up to a fi re in one of the home’s two gas-lit wood burning fi replaces or preparing a scrumptious meal in the large kitchen that overlooks another fabulous view, it’s easy to enjoy those special beach moments in this home. “Everything that could be thought of was put into this house,” said Realtor Melissa Eddy, of Windermere Stellar in Gearhart. The three-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom home at 1456 Pacifi c Drive is listed with Eddy for $1.395 million. Designed by architect Mary Miller to capture the views of Tillamook Head and the ocean from nearly every room, the home off ers the fi rst glance of the wide outdoors at the landing above the expansive living room. Floor to ceiling Anderson wood windows and a glass door leading to a patio form the room’s west wall. With a ceiling that rises nearly 10 feet, the room is extra large – big enough to contain a formal dining table, another small table for games or cards and plenty of space for a couch and chairs at the fi replace. Adjacent to the living room is a kitchen any cook would love, especially a cook who needs lots of drawers and cabinets, plus a large granite-topped island and endless counter space. The kitchen also has a stainless-steel oven and microwave, cook-top stove and a side-by-side refrigerator/freezer. Guests will head to the family room connected to the kitchen to warm themselves by a second fi replace, prepare themselves a drink at the wet bar and gaze out at the beach from another wall of windows. A window seat with a view of Tillamook Head is perfect for an afternoon of reading on a stormy day. Morning in the master bedroom suite begins with a view of the ocean and of Tillamook Head. The master bathroom has a deep soaking tub in the master bathroom, a separate shower and double sinks. Two other bedrooms could hold two twin beds or a king-size bed and still have room for dressers and other furniture. Each bedroom has its own full bathroom. But there’s more to this home. A laundry room contains a sink, closets and cabinets; a half-bath is adjacent to the laundry room. The oversized double garage also contains a shop with a workbench, electricity, heater and closets. More enclosed cabinets line hallway walls: there’s no need to worry about storage. Crown moulding along the ceilings, whitewashed tongue-and-groove paneling and vaulted ceilings in the family room and master bedroom, and hemlock paneling in a third bedroom and bathroom add to the home’s charm. “It has a very ‘casual elegance’ to it,” Eddy said. Close to Gearhart Golf Links and McMenamin’s Sand Trap, the Gearhart Palisades neighborhood was developed in the late 1940s by Barney Lucas, according to John Howard, president of the neighborhood’s homeowners’ association. The 40 lots were developed over time and some still remain vacant, Howard said. Composed mostly of second homes, the quiet neighborhood overlooking the ocean is outside of the Gearhart city limits. Annual HOA dues of $450 pay to maintain several paths to the beach, local roads and some street lighting. In addition to being near the beach and a golf course, the home is just a short bicycle ride away from downtown Gearhart, a public tennis court, the ridge trail, cafe, bakery and other shops. The great home is in a great location, said Eddy. “It’s everything anyone could want for a perfect one-level fl oor plan,” she added. This spacious Gearhart Palisades home offers room to relax