It can be difficult to find both elegance and comfort in the same home, which is why Oscar and Stephanie Martinez fell in love with the custom beauty on Sunset Bluffs Court in Sunset Hills. It exudes warmth alongside countless high-end amenities. “Sometimes you’ll walk into a home of this magnitude and it’s too imposing and over the top,” Stephanie Martinez explains. “Whether it’s because of this home’s woodwork or varying ceiling heights, you feel comfortable and right at home when you step inside.”
The couple and their three sons, who moved from Colorado almost five years ago, were the first to live here; the original owners had to sell the home after completely customizing every space, from light fixtures to flooring. “The finishes are amazing,” Martinez says. “Every room is elegant yet functional. The travertine floors are beautiful and can stand up to heavy use, which is needed in a house with three boys!”
Their favorite and most-used area is the kitchen and adjoining hearth room with wood-burning fireplace. “The kitchen is huge and open,” Martinez says. “It has custom cabinets and is perfect for entertaining.” The same can be said for the rest of the house as well, she notes, pointing out the high cathedral ceiling in the living room, which, along with the dining room, opens to the outdoor patios.
Coming from Colorado, the couple was attracted to the peaceful setting that offers numerous areas in which to relax on the manicured acre. “There is a huge two-story back patio and deck, as well as a patio off the front,” she says. “We’re out there all the time, and we put in an amazing waterfall that is perfect during the summer.” Martinez notes the home has tons of large windows that let the outside in. “And we really enjoy all the area has to offer,” she says. “Lindbergh School District is phenomenal, and the house is a mile from the rec center. Just up a pathway from our wooded backyard is Laumeier Sculpture Park. We love taking the dogs there.”
Other favorite spots include the mudroom, upstairs bedrooms, and the large walk-out basement. “The basement bedroom and bath have separate outside access, perfect for an au pair or live-in family member,” Martinez says. “Everything is truly stunning. It’s such a special house.”
listing price | $1,400,000
listing agent | kelli graf of dielmann sotheby’s international realty
Photos: Tom Chlebowski