Family friendly features

It's not always easy to find a home that pleases both the adults and the children in a family. Adults want some spaces of their own for relaxation and entertainment, and children, of course, want plenty of space to play.

The house at 2540 Allendale is as family friendly as it gets. It's a classic ranch-style home with warm red brick, welcoming green shutters, elegant white pillars, and an old-fashioned brick entry way.

It's only a block away from Alma Schrader School and is located in a child-friendly neighborhood. The house has a large fenced-in back yard and even a tire swing hanging from a stately old tree.

Inside, the house also has areas for both adults and children. It has touches like white ceramic tile, hardwood floors, crown molding, and large rooms. It also has two fireplaces. One is an elegant white-mantled gas log fireplace in the formal living room. The elegant lines of the fireplace add just the right touch of formality for entertaining family and friends. Classic white marble surrounds it, against a restful background of sage green wall color.

The formal dining room is another plus for adults, allowing a wide variety of entertaining possibilities, ranging from more formal to casual. Only steps away is the home's kitchen -- warm with hardwood floors, brass faucets, cheery white cabinetry and a fruit border at the ceiling. Again, a sage green wall color ties the kitchen to the living and dining rooms. The kitchen offers abundant cabinet space and a light-welcoming window above the sink.

The home's family room also features hardwood floors and a wood-burning fireplace, which with its brick inlay brings a more casual feeling to the room. From the family room, patio doors lead to an oversized deck, convenient for summertime relaxation and entertaining.

The main level bathroom includes a tile-look linoleum and warm, butterscotch colored walls. It also has a double sink vanity, white cabinetry with brass pulls and a roomy linen closet with a unique louvered door.

Each of the home's bedrooms is generously sized, with two children's bedrooms offering plenty of room for play. One of the children's bedrooms features a large walk-in closet.

The master bedroom suite features a fairly large bedroom and a bathroom with tasteful pink and white striped wallpaper and rose border, which matches charmingly with the white cabinetry. The bath/shower features a shower massage. The suite also includes separate his and hers closets.

The basement of the home is partly finished with a large playroom and entertainment area taking up about half of the space. Three windows give the room ample natural light. A unfinished storage area includes a deep sink for hand washables, crafts, and home improvement projects. There is an exit to the home's backyard through the unfinished area.

The home also features a roomy two-car garage.

Built on a corner lot this house has many great features for a family, and is currently priced at $189,900. It is available for viewing through Re/Max Realty One, 335-8565.

traddle@semissourian.com