House of the Week | Bethesda Cape Cod for $1.499M

When the development company W.C. & A.N. Miller built the Overlook community in Bethesda, it was designed as a patio-styled enclave for people who wanted homes with enough space to entertain but fewer stairs and smaller yards. As one of the few custom-built houses in the neighborhood, this oversize Cape Cod packs an unexpected delight. Its brick facade and gable roof only hints at what lies behind the front door.

Its a huge surprise, said co-listing agent Eileen McGrath of Washington Fine Properties. Its not a boring brick Colonial that so many houses in Washington are.

The original owner, Dave Murchison, a founding partner of prominent Washington antitrust law firm Howrey Simon, hired architect Robert Yale to design the home in 1984. Yale created open and airy spaces that are suffused with natural light.

Stepping through the entry hall past the staircase that curves toward the second level, you emerge into a great room with soaring 20-foot ceilings. Sunshine pours through the skylights. A dramatic second-floor balcony overlooks the room.

John C. Culver bought the home from Murchison. Culver, an Iowa Democrat who spent 10 years in the House and six years in the Senate before establishing the government affairs practice at Arent Fox, took advantage of the homes grand rooms to entertain Cabinet secretaries, presidential candidates, members of Congress, foreign politicians and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists.

Steps from the great room is the family room. Wood beams and paneling create a warm, casual environment. The craggy fireplace is a strong anchor to the room. French doors in the great and family rooms lead to the 50-foot long Ipe deck.

The first-floor master suite has a bedroom with a tray ceiling and a Juliet balcony that overlooks the front of the home.

Three bedrooms are on the upper level and a sitting area looks down on the great room.

The lower level has a paneled library and a recreation room, both of which have doors leading to the garden patio.

The Overlook community includes a pool, picnic areas and access to the Capital Crescent Trail.

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House of the Week | Bethesda Cape Cod for $1.499M