Welcome to my pre-tour of a Charleston Row House-style home located in historic downtown Aiken, SC. 
This is a home that is sure to be a great investment with it being located in vibrant, pedestrian-friendly downtown Aiken on Park Avenue. Rising real estate values in the area are another reason it would be a great investment, not to mention the luxurious features of the home itself.
I think you’ll enjoy what follows.
I’ll start with the features of the home.
There are officially 4 levels to this home so don’t let the front elevation fool you. There’s a lot of living space in this Charleston Row House-style home.
The lower level has a two car built-in garage, ground entrance residential elevator (yes…I said elevator), fitness room, full bath and laundry area. There is also some additional space with a fireplace with room for a large office area or you might prefer to use it as a wine cellar.
The main level has an open floor plan with a brick porch entry that has a door for privacy from the street but yet is fully open on the length of the porch. There’s a guest suite with full bath towards the front of the home. The guest bath has an antique dresser converted to a singular sink with vanity top.
Top-of-the-line appliances offer the gourmet of the family an opportunity to hone their skills. The formal dining room has had extensive stenciling and a faux painting technique applied to the walls as well as the ceiling. The gourmet kitchen is open to the expansive gathering room with travertine tiled fireplace with custom mantel surround. There’s a huge breakfast area with a nice view of the rear of the property. Step out back onto the expansive screen porch where you can catch a glimpse of the rear of the property (mosquito-free) and the 2 story cottage (a small custom home within itself) below.
L to R: Hand-stenciling in formal dining room; elevator entrance on 2nd level; wall sconce in master suiteThe 2nd level features the master suite. This is a true master suite, folks. Two-thirds of this level is devoted to pampering the owners. It offers a huge space for your furnishings, adjoining sitting room, travertine-tiled fireplace
, coffee and juice bar and a master suite washer and dryer area. The master bath has a one-of-a-kind antique walnut buffet that has been converted to a double vanity.
There’s also a great garden tub and shower with very nice tile work surrounding both.
Don’t forget… I mentioned that there was a residential elevator that will take you from the terrace level through the main level to the 2nd floor. There’s also a staircase, if you prefer. There’s one more feature that I, personally, would thoroughly wear out…a HUGE private SCREENED porch. I HATE MOSQUITOS!
Then again…who doesn’t. There is also an additional bedroom on the 2nd level.
Did I mention that I HATE MOSQUITOS?
Here’s a little more in-depth info on the travertine tiled fireplaces in this home.
The 3rd level, also called the loft level, can be utilized for additional living space, if desired. It comes complete with a full bath and several rooms that add versatility to the home.
The home is fully equipped with a residential sprinkler system. That’s a feature that I’d like to see more frequently in the homes that we tour.
Things I really dig about this Charleston Row House-style home
- 3 story elevator
- Great views of the surrounding area</li
- Heart Pine floors
- Gourmet kitchen
- Tremendous attention to detail
- Fully decorated by a professional designer – ready to move in
- Hardi-plank siding
- Extensive custom millwork
- Located within (very short) walking distance of great restaurants and shops in downtown Aiken – I’ve lived in Aiken previously and return on a regular basis and my previous statement regarding restaurants and shops is no exaggeration! There’s even a brew pub called (what else) Aiken Brewery Co.
If you are a resident of the CSRA (Central Savannah River Area) or a potential citizen of the great city of Aiken, SC then you owe it to yourself to take a look at this new home. The asking price is $1.6 – $1.8M. The builder can be reached at [email protected]. Please mention that you read about it on The Fun Times Guide To Homebuilding.
A sampling of Aiken shopping, dining and points of interest:
Small sample of local restaurants
Local shopping
Visitor interestsI can personally recommend these fine eating establishments in Aiken:
- Westside Bowery a.k.a. The Bowery – fantastic food…never, ever left here disappointed in the least
- Variety Restaurant – Aiken’s best kept secret
- Bobby’s Bar-B-Q – you gotta try the hash over steamed rice…mmmmm
- Aiken Brewing Company Restaurant & Microbrewery – good food and even better brew made on-site – Aiken’s only microbrewery
- Eejays – my parents’ longtime favorite
- Amanda’s – my Mom swears by the service, wine and food
- Cork & Bull Pub – my brother, Dennis, manages, bartends, cooks occasionally and will (try to) beat you at darts any day. Visit the Cork N Bull tent at Aiken’s annual Steeplechase for jell-o shots and good eats . Forgot to mention that Dennis is a requested karaoke artist, too.bo
I started as a home-stalker… visiting brand new homes under construction in the neighborhoods near my house. That inspired me to write about home building and home renovation projects — chronicling homes during different phases of construction from a consumer's point-of-view. Basically, the tips you'll find in my articles are a collection of checklists for what I think should (and should not) go into building or remodeling a quality home.
