What began as an unremarkable one-story, concrete block warehouse at 64 Winter St. in East Cambridge is now a treehouse-like, architectural wonder of a home. The owner of the property is an artisan with vision who worked with an award-winning architect known for designing cultural institutions. The homeowner gave the architect free reign.
The result? A light-filled, 1,752-square-foot triplex with four outdoor spaces celebrates the exquisite livability of thoughtful contemporary design. There are distinctive, high-end finishes throughout, including bloodwood paneling and floors.
Enter on the north side of the building into a private, 25-foot-high glass-block space. (The adjacent ground-level unit, originally the owner’s workshop, is now a separate condominium residence.) Continue straight back through the mudroom/laundry to the back entrance or up the stairs to the open-concept living space.
A wood-burning fireplace with a chimney clad in Turkish travertine tile anchors the living space with a vaulted ceiling. A garage-style glass door opens to a courtyard-style deck on the west side of the house. (The deck is also accessible from the mezzanine dining space, as well as the small second-floor bedroom.) Sun pours in from three sides.
There is another courtyard-style deck on the east side of the house, sandwiched between the kitchen in the front corner and the den in the back corner.
The well-appointed kitchen features silver oak cabinetry against bloodwood paneled walls, limestone countertops, and top-end appliances, including a commercial dishwasher with a 90-second cycle.
A full bath with rose gold glass tile, Brazilian redwood paneling, a sunken tub, a separate shower, and a floating oak vanity with a marble trough sink and countertop is located off the den.
A spiral staircase with wood treads and a glass panel rail leads to a small third-floor landing. March straight ahead over a glass paver catwalk that overlooks the living area, then take one step up to the roof deck, which runs along the front of the house. An outdoor kitchen with a sink and grill, plus space for a dining table and loungers, make it perfect for entertaining.
A bright bedroom to the right of the landing has a frosted, channel glass wall, as well as a Juliet balcony. Its white gold glass tile floor boasts radiant heat.
The primary bedroom, which has a travertine tile feature wall and walk-in closet, sits to the left. Its marble-lined, en-suite bath has a curbless shower with a frosted glass window and a floating vanity with a glass vessel sink.
A glass and steel spiral staircase swoops up to the headhouse and the top-floor roof deck with 360-degree urban views, including Boston’s Fourth of July fireworks.
The home is tucked into a residential neighborhood behind Cambridge Street, near Cambridge Crossing, local shops, restaurants, the new Lechmere T station, and major roadways.
See it this weekend: Open houses are slated for Saturday, Dec. 4, and Sunday, Dec. 5, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
William Senné of Senné listed the property for $1,985,000 on Nov. 30.
See more photos of the property below:
Marni Elyse Katz captures good design @StyleCarrot on Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to our free real estate newsletter at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter @globehomes.