5021 Kingston Drive

Eventually, every long time owner hands a house to someone new. The rooms stay. The fireplaces stay. The garden changes with another season. But different people gather around the dining table, new friends find their way to the patio, and someone else begins pulling into the driveway at the end of the day thinking: It is good to be home.Theres a moment when a house begins to feel like home. Here, it may happen before you even walk through the front door. You turn into a neighborhood of large lots, mature oak trees and quiet streets, pull into the driveway and leave the rest of the day behind. The setting feels peaceful and privatethe kind of place where coming home really does feel like coming home. For years, the owners have renovated and updated this center-hall Colonial, adapting it to the way people live today. Now its ready for someone new to begin the next chapter. Start out back. A flagstone patio bordered by a Georgetown-style brick wall and planting beds creates an outdoor garden room. Perennials, seasonal plantings and grassy areas provide changing views throughout the year. Beyond the fenced yard, the property becomes more natural and wooded, with deer and other local wildlife passing through. Its easy to picture ending the day here with a glass of wine. Inside, the house has evolved well beyond the traditional Colonial floor plan. Off the foyer, the library has been renovated to include a full bath with walk-in shower, giving the main level added flexibility. Across the hall, the generous living roomwith its wood-burning fireplace and room for a pianoflows toward the dining area. Think holiday dinners, birthdays, celebrations and old friends lingering around the table. Then you reach the part of the house where everyday life is likely to happen. The updated kitchen and breakfast area combines Sub-Zero wine and full refrigerators, Wolf microwave and dual-fuel double-oven range, and Bosch dishwasher with exotic granite counters, marble backsplash, extensive cabinetry, a pot rack and abundant inset lighting. From there, the kitchen flows directly into the family room addition, with its gas-log fireplace, large bay window and sliding glass doors overlooking the patio. Stream a movie, watch the World Cup, Tour de France or an NFL game, or simply settle in at the end of the day. Together, the kitchen, family room and patio form a comfortable center for daily life. Upstairs, four bedrooms provide private spaces away from the activity below. The primary suite includes a walk-in closet, dressing area and updated shower bath, while the updated hall bath offers a tub and linen storage. Downstairs, the spacious recreation room adds another layer of flexibility, with a wood-burning fireplace, built-in cabinetry, microwave and wine refrigerator. Theres room for media, board or video games, exercise equipmentor several activities at once. A fourth full bath with walk-in shower adds possibilities for overnight guests, sleepovers or even the occasional pet bath. Perhaps what makes the house especially appealing is the contrast between how it feels and where it is. The setting is leafy, peaceful and tucked away, yet the home is inside the Beltway. Starbucks, restaurants, shopping and county parks are just minutes away. The active civic association adds another dimension to neighborhood life, with activities that have included a Halloween parade, Oktoberfest, potluck meals, garden club and an ice cream social.