Walk to school, walk to the park from a quiet cul-de-sac street

Families looking to relocate have long been drawn to the Beaumont neighborhood on the south side of Lexington with its tree-lined streets, stretches of traditional plank fencing, proximity to parks, and great schools.

Settling on the right neighborhood was imperative to Laura and Kevin Greenstreet and their young family.

“When we were looking five years ago, I was pregnant with twins and our son Grayson was three,” Laura said. “I grew up here and have roots here. I was part of the Lady Bulldog team that went to the state basketball championship and I loved it.”

Laura and Kevin chose 3204 Hemingway Lane in Beaumont — five bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, 5,504 square feet — as the kind of home and neighborhood for a long term investment. “We wanted our kids to have those same life experiences,” Laura said.

“The main reasons we landed here are being on this cul-de-sac street, being close to the park, and because you can walk to Rosa Parks Elementary,” Laura said.

Although the home was newly constructed in 2004, it felt dated when they moved in. “There were a lot of dense paint colors – dark purples, the dining room was orange, the junior suite upstairs was red and black,” Laura said. “The house was closing in on you.”

The makeover is clean, light and airy — West Coast Modern as Laura describes it. The new color scheme focuses on white trim and Stonington gray walls. “It’s like a baby gray, it worked in every room.”

With large windows and transoms above many doors, there were plenty of opportunities for maximizing natural light. But Laura took it a step further, “We’ve added new lighting and replaced almost every light fixture with high end lighting.”

Because Laura and Kevin were taking the long view, there have been a lot of home improvements. “We’ve spent over $72,000 in upgrades,” Laura said. “We planned on being here for the long haul.”

In the kitchen, high-end kitchen countertops were installed — a white marble known as Shadow Storm. The dark cherry cabinets had to go to match the home’s new chic style, but they were still in great condition. “We had heard some bad things about painting kitchen cabinets,” Laura said. “We did some research and had Spraymasters, Inc. redo the cabinets to white and they’re beautiful.”

In the master suite, the bath was completely remodeled — new shower tile, new floor, new toilet, new tub, and an updated vanity featuring the same white Shadow Storm marble as the kitchen.

Laura calls the basement area an entertainer’s dream — wired by Barney Miller’s for multiple TVs and home theater, two beverage fridges, two warming ovens, ice maker, dishwasher, full bath and more.

The back porch and outdoor living area have become family favorites. “We have an amazing patio space,” Laura said. “The kids love inviting their friends over for a s’mores party around the gas fire pit.”

Just beyond the backyard trees is the Beaumont Pedestrian Pathway with miles of paved trails for walking and biking.

“This is the most convenient place to live,” Laura said. “Our pediatrician is in the neighborhood, our primary doctor, the allergist, the school, Beaumont Kroger, places for nails and hair — you literally could never leave this area. And if you’re looking for even more shopping and restaurants, the Palomar Center is only a mile away.”

A new job opportunity will take Laura and Kevin to Colorado, a state where they have actually lived previously.

“Whoever ends up with our house is going to have an amazing experience,” Laura said. “We had a great time here and want to pass the baton.”

This story was originally published August 24, 2020 at 12:41 PM with the headline "Walk to school, walk to the park from a quiet cul-de-sac street."