Description

Historic grandeur meets contemporary luxury in this stunning home with an award-winning modernist addition. This important, 110-year-old Georgian Revival has grand and light-filled formal rooms with high ceilings and ornate architectural details. In 2018, the historic house was fully renovated and restored using only the finest materials. The two-story, award-winning modernist addition by Tonic Architects was added to the rear of the home, which provides spacious contemporary living areas, high-tech amenities, and attention to energy efficiency.

117 Hillcrest is located on a quiet, tree-lined street in Forest Park, one of Raleigh’s most desirable neighborhoods. The house and street are a peaceful forest oasis, but Downtown Raleigh’s best shops, restaurants, and museums are just a short walk away. From the street, the original house's venerable brick façade still greets visitors as it has for over 100 years. But upon entering the foyer, the house reveals an unexpected expanse of opulent formal rooms as well as sprawling modern living spaces of steel, wood, glass, marble, light, and air.

The original house includes formal drawing and dining rooms, a spacious entrance foyer with a grand staircase, a study, three large bedrooms, and four bathrooms. The two-story modernist addition includes an open kitchen, dining, and living area, and a spacious, sun-lit master bedroom suite. An extremely large, fully finished basement has many windows for natural light, and includes a media room, entertainment room, fitness and wellness area, and bedroom. The central stairwell leads all the way up to a third-floor attic with wonderful light, tremendous amounts of storage, and options to add additional bedrooms, loft office space, and/or a rooftop deck.

The house has fireplaces in most rooms–two outfitted with modern gas flames. Other amenities include a gym, spa/sauna, two steam showers, and a wine cellar. A brand new rooftop solar system was installed in 2021 and keeps energy bills low. This is a smart home with nest thermostats, smart locks, Japanese smart toilets, steam showers, and a state-of-the-art security and surveillance system. The modern addition includes floor-to-ceiling windows onto private gardens, and art collectors will love the gallery-style walls and trim. The house is a chef’s dream, with two kitchens, Thermador range and appliances, three ovens, two refrigerators, two freezers, two sinks, three dishwashers, an ice maker, and a walk-in pantry.

The house has mature gardens and a private backyard with a croquet lawn, sun loungers, a bamboo rock garden, grilling, and dining areas. It is fully enclosed with ample room for dogs and kids to play. Extensive landscape lighting provides a magical nighttime feel.

Porches abound, including a front porch with original architectural benches, a modern back patio, and a large screened porch with a living and dining area, and a grilling area just outside.

The private driveway has a Tesla fast charger station and parking for multiple cars. High walls and automatic front and back driveway gates provide good security.

This exquisite property is the best of all worlds: vast in size but understated from the front; quiet and extremely central; historic and modern, and light-filled throughout. The turn of every corner reveals unexpected expanses and joyous surprises. Houses like this rarely come up for sale, and you will not find a comparable listing in central Raleigh.