WEST CAPE MAY — West Cape May has a bat-cave entrance, so to speak: a hidden route that passes over the creek and through the marshlands bordering it, connecting Leaming Avenue with Elmira Street in Cape May.
This winding route is traversed by fireflies and bikes, and both can journey all the way to Broadway through blocks lined with homes that pack an intense amount of history into tidy angular lots.
One of these homes, the dollhouse-like abode at 111 Leaming Ave., seems to have been made entirely of a gable and front porch but has been a family hub since 1870.
Starting at the front, previous owners have made sure to keep certain old-fashioned features intact: the gingerbread framing the porch, the decorative trim over the front door and the spindles that form an alternating pattern in the railings all hearken back to the original style of the home.
New foundation plantings and trees around the front were chosen with care: this beige house with a brown roof is absolutely going to glow in autumn, which is the area’s best season and the most important time in West Cape May’s social whirl.
New paths from the sidewalk to the porch and around the side of the home offer easy access and a tidy appearance.
This is a very simple home, especially when compared to some of the grandeur and opulence in others from this era, some just a block away; but this one was made to be comfortable and spruce for a growing family with work to do.
A central stairway divides two rooms up and two rooms down. Other features such as the attached kitchen and the primary bedroom were added later.
The front door opens into the bright living room, with a hall closet tucked under the hidden stair and a large wooden mantel surrounding the gas fireplace.
On the other side of the stair is the dining room, a slightly formal alcove with the same wood flooring as the living room, but with a view of the back door and kitchen.
The kitchen was added many years ago but has been updated to a warm-hued U-shaped workspace with new appliances and flooring.
The entire home was updated just a few years ago with new electricity service, drywall, central air conditioning, insulation, roof, plumbing — you name it, they decided to bring the whole place up to date.
Another addition at the back of this first floor begins to explain why this little old-fashioned gem, with 2,145 square feet of approachable living space, has been so thoroughly updated: a new first floor bedroom off the back of the house, with a large modern bath, is currently the room for bunk beds just off the back entrance.
This home has been a popular rental for several years, with repeat customers returning with their families to enjoy the quieter, friendlier environment of West Cape May for a family vacation.
Any new owner could step right into a going concern, with three bedrooms on the second floor bringing the total in this crisply finished home to four bedrooms and two baths. Everything is newly updated, clean and bright, and sticks to what works for this unique property: simplicity.
The back of the house has a small but tidy porch, a gleaming patio area for grilling and dining, an outdoor shower and a storage shed for things like beach chairs, surfboards or perhaps a kayak or two.
Adding to the possibilities is the accessory cottage in the back of the lot, facing the rear entrance of the main house with its own small front porch and patch of garden.
This building is much newer than the main house, and it shows in the design of the kitchen and living areas where much more contemporary design ideas prevail.
It’s still simple, bright and comfortable with the same easy-going tidiness as its big sister. Two bedrooms are set to the back and side of the house, offering even more quiet in the already-peaceful neighborhood, additional privacy or just a place for those who don’t want to climb stairs to be close to all the action going on in the main house.
Obviously these two houses could be rented separately, but what an appealing solution for families with multi-generational needs who would still like to make some seaside memories together.
Then there’s the option of living in one of the houses and renting the other, creating a nice side hustle for an older couple or helping a young family plan for the future.
With so much potential, a great location in a cozy small town that’s only a stone’s throw from attractions, shopping, dining, beaches, boating and more, this little dollhouse cottage should win someone’s heart soon.
