PHOTOS BY MARK HOLEWINSKI

When Lisa Donaldson was returning to Pittsburgh in 2013, her wish was to live in the East End, which, at the time, had few houses for sale. For help, she turned to East Liberty Development Inc.

One of the homes in its portfolio was 604 N. Saint Clair St., a Stick-Style home built in 1910. Located just minutes from several East Liberty attractions, the three-story home has original details, 10-foot-high ceilings — and loads of added charm. 

It is now on the market for $599,000 with Lori Hummel of Howard Hanna Real Estate (MLS#1477028, 412/287-1739, howardhanna.com) and is open by appointment only in accordance with the state’s COVID-19 guidelines.

Because the home was nearing the end of a renovation when she purchased it, Donaldson was able to make some design selections.

“They allowed me to select the quartz countertops; GE Slate Appliances in bronze and carpet for the stairwells and second floor bedrooms,” she recalls. 

The first thing you notice when you approach the home is the fun turquoise front door, which pops against the red brick. 

“I love color,” Donaldson says. “I am not a ‘gray’ person with the paint.” 

That love carries through to the rest of the house, where warm colors make up much of the palette. The entry has a large panel door with a transom window. During renovations, the walls between the entry, living room and dining room and kitchen were removed to create an almost completely open floor plan.

Donaldson chose most of the lighting, including a wire iron globe from Crate & Barrel that hangs in the entry and a candle-style bar pendant chandelier from Pottery Barn in the dining room.

The 17-by-12-square-foot living room has an expansive window with deep sills and plenty of room for seating. Just beyond is a welcoming dining room with an interesting grid-style display wall.

“I designed it and my dad built it for me,” Donaldson says.

Along with an added barn door, the 12-by-13-square-foot kitchen has an island peninsula with an extra-deep bronze offset sink and fixtures. The Quartz countertop is durable and allows for plenty of serving space, while three colorful bar stools are a comfortable place to visit with the cook. 

Butcher block counters warm up the rest of the kitchen. The white Shaker cabinets provide a pop of brightness. Rounding out the first floor are engineered wood floors and a darling powder room in the same shade as the front door. 

Upstairs, color takes center stage again in the owner’s bedroom suite, where a daring eggplant shade envelops the room in warmth. 

“I love sleeping in a dark and quiet room,” Donaldson says. “It is a cocoon when I turn the lights off. It is perfect.” 

The 11-by-15-square-foot space has a walk-in closet that leads to the master bathroom, which has double vanity sinks, ceramic floors and a generous-sized shower. The room is painted in a gray-green slate hue that picks up the stone vein from the finishes.

A 12-by-12 square-foot guest bedroom is Tiffany Box Blue, a happy shade brought to life with antiques and lively bedding. Down the hall, a charming 8-by-11-square-foot bedroom, currently used as a home office, wears an earthy red brick wall color. There also is another full bathroom with a tub/shower combo and a 60-inch, granite-topped vanity.

The third floor is just loads of fun. Donaldson finished the space as a family room that clocks in at an impressive 33-by-20 square feet. It has teak flooring (which runs under all the installed cabinetry) and a vaulted ceiling that exposes the home’s original 130-year-old timber framing. There is a pool table, a sitting area, a full-length wet bar and a powder room. 

The basement has a 240-bottle wine cellar that remains a constant 55 degrees. An exercise area features a flat-screen television and gym flooring. 

The backyard is a perfect setup for entertaining. 

“It was a blank slate,” Donaldson says. “I had Kimicata Brothers Landscape Co. install the herringbone paver patios, benches, pillars and a composite privacy fence.”

All of the mechanicals were replaced in 2013, and the home is ready for the long haul. So why is Donaldson moving then? She says another project awaits her. 

“I love house projects and I have completed everything here,” she says. “I am looking to move and build for the first time.” 

Drawing on her years of experience covering the region’s real estate industry, Rosa Colucci’s Hot Property will offer an inside look into unique and historic homes currently on the market. Each week, Hot Property goes behind the For Sale sign to share the story of a special Pittsburgh area home.  And four times a year, Hot Property will give an in-depth look at the region’s real estate market in Pittsburgh Magazine HOME, track housing prices and sales and detail where the hot properties can be found. Rosa can be reached at onecordovaroad@gmail.com.

About: East Liberty

Population: 5,869

Planes, Trains & Automobiles: Just a 25-minute commute to the airport; paily transport via Port Authority, East Busway is 2 miles out; city bike lanes on major arteries; street parking.

Schools: City of Pittsburgh, features extensive magnet programming including the award-winning CAPA in the heart of downtown. (pittsburghschools.org)

Neighborhoods East Liberty has radically changed in the last 15 years and is now one of the trendiest neighborhoods in the country. It is home to historic landmarks, including East Liberty Presbyterian Church, dozens of condo projects and major retailers such as Warby Parker and Target. Development continues and housing is in high demand. Connecting neighborhoods include Highland Park and Shadyside.