OCEAN CITY — They don’t build them like this anymore, except for the fantastic upside-down home at 421 15th St., on the corner of 15th Street and Central Avenue, just two blocks from the beach.
Take a look and you’ll see what I mean — quality is found from the ground up to the sundeck off the primary bedroom and everywhere in between.
The upside-down stunner features yellow cedar shake and Boral shiplap siding; mahogany plank porch ceilings, slate-topped stone knee walls; wood panel interior walls; custom baseboard, trim and crown molding; and quartz countertops and backsplash.
Need bedrooms? There are five, including the primary suite on the top floor, making it a private getaway even when the house is crowded with family and friends.
How about bathrooms? There is one on the ground floor, just in from the shaded veranda, two on the first floor shared by four bedrooms and another, hidden behind a sliding barn door in the primary bedroom.
Not enough? A powder room is conveniently located off the wet bar room accessible from both the great room and wrap-around covered deck.
Looking for a place to gather? The wide-open great room includes a cozy sitting area centered on a gas fireplace, along with a kitchen sporting the indisputable largest center island in the city (9 feet by 5 feet and able to accommodate six to eight stools). Set in the corner with multiple windows on the beach side, the dining area is spacious enough for a large table.
Want to get outside? The ground floor veranda includes plenty of space for getting away for a while. For those more interested in company, there is a wrap-around deck on the first and second floors.
The exterior is a work of art, featuring a brick-faced foundation, knee walls and bases for columns of cedar with a flair at the bottom. They rise and arch inward, creating frames for separate open spaces.
Off-street parking? No problem. There are two spots beneath a carport off 15th Street, as well as an entrance to the two-car garage off both sides.
Sporting fresh grass and landscaping, the 2,433-square-foot home has a set of composite stairs that rise from the sidewalk to the first-floor porch, with access into the living room through a sliding glass door.
The main entrance is off 15th Street, where a mahogany door with four panes and side panels opens into the tiled foyer. There is access to the garage and its tiled shower, as well as a handsome wood staircase that rises to the first floor.
Atop the stairs, there are four bedrooms and two bathrooms, along with a laundry closet.
Another flight up leads to the great room, which is filled with light from multiple windows. The sitting room is on the 15th Street side, while the kitchen is in the back corner.
The huge center island includes storage and an under-counter microwave, while more maple Wellborn cabinets run along two walls. Stainless steel appliances include a 48-inch, six-burner Wolf range beneath a pot-filler faucet, a dishwasher to the side of the deep Shaws sink and a Sub-Zero refrigerator.
Off to the side, a wet bar room features a sink, beverage center and wine refrigerator, as well as access to the powder room and exterior deck.
Yet another flight of stairs rise to the top floor, which is dedicated to the primary suite. The landing features access to a private sundeck and a door that opens into the suite.
A tall, peaked ceiling with planks looms above the bed, while two clerestory windows provide light. A short hallway is flanked by closets.
The primary bath is tucked away behind a barn door, that slides to the side the allow access. It features a long vanity with dual sinks and a tiled shower.
Special touches include white walls with solid-core doors painted in a robin’s egg blue.
Ocean City is one of the most popular shore resorts on the East Coast, featuring an oceanfront boardwalk filled with hundreds of shopping, dining and entertainment venues, as well as miles and miles of pristine beaches.
A great location doesn’t only mean beachfront or bayfront on this 8-mile-long island — there are 10 distinct neighborhoods, each with its own characteristics.
The beach and boardwalk — 2.5 miles of oceanfront entertainment, restaurants, thrill rides and souvenir shops — get most of the attention in this seaside resort, but the island has much more to offer.
An award-winning downtown stretches from Sixth to 14th streets along Asbury Avenue and has expanded onto other nearby streets, offering more than 100 shops and cafes.
There’s also the popular watersports district around Third Street on Bay Avenue, where the brave can rent powerboats, go parasailing, join the crew of a pirate ship and take a kayak tour of the back bays. Private and party boat fishing tours are also available.
The Gardens is popular with many for its slow pace, huge beaches and winding, pedestrian-friendly streets. The Riviera, stretching from 16th to 23rd streets along Great Egg Harbor Bay, is a boater’s paradise with many Mediterranean-style homes set right on inland lagoons. The Central neighborhood is bustling with businesses both downtown and on the boardwalk, while the Northend contains many of the island’s historic homes. The Southend is narrow with fewer homes and room to stretch out, while Merion Park and OC Home feature wetlands and wildlife along with wonderful sunset views. The Goldcoast has some of the best beachfront homes on the island, set behind a mighty system of dunes for protection.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff