House Hunt

Two Decatur homes take center stage this week.

Near the cul de sac at the northern end of Melrose Avenue is No. 431, a home with real curb appeal. Visitors step off the street and onto a raised walkway that spans the front yard. Above this elevated structure and just short of the porch, a pergola lends partial coverage where the walkway widens enough for some opposed seating. On either side of the walkway and also enclosing the area below the porch is wooden latticework. An attached garage opens on the north side of the house.

Inside, 431 Melrose Ave. has four bedrooms (comprising two master suites) and three bathrooms (plus a half). The family room has wainscotting, a fireplace, and a coffered ceiling. Tile is the material that seems to have gotten the most love from renovators at this address: An ornate mosaic that evokes some ancient attempt at a compass rose adorns the floor of the main-level master bathroom. Near it is an antique dresser that has been converted into a setting for dual sinks. The kitchen likewise has an evocation of antiquity in the form of a decorative plaque amid the tiles that cover the wall between the stovetop and a sleek ventilation hood.

A hop and a skip south of Oakhurst Village stands 740 E Lake Drive, a large brick home with a frame superstructure. To the right of the home's driveway is a concrete slab where once stood a neighborhood laundry -- now home to benches and planters. At the driveway's end is a two-car garage.

A porch wraps around the southern end of the house. As if to further encourage high-populace outdoor entertaining, 740 also has a spacious deck at its rear and side. The interior has large, open rooms with plenty of illumination available through windows and even some skylights. Like its partner in this week's spotlight, 740 has four bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms. My favorite detail is the modular little laundry room at the top of the stairs. It is enclosed short of the ceiling and allows storage or display of knicks (and even knacks) on its "roof."

(Please note that all property details, including pricing, are confirmed as of press time but are also subject to change.)

http://www.trulia.com/property/1028664878-431-Melrose-Ave-Decatur-GA-30030

http://www.trulia.com/property/1039240975-740-E-Lake-Dr-Decatur-GA-30030

http://www.trulia.com/property/3062270066-619-Sycamore-Ridge-Dr-Decatur-GA-30030

http://www.trulia.com/property/3054117563-920-3rd-Ave-Decatur-GA-30030 

http://www.trulia.com/property/4314622-1120-Bromley-Rd-Avondale-Estates-GA-30002