PHOTOS BY PENNSYLVANIA REAL ESTATE PHOTOGRAPHY

It was the room with the picture window that sealed the deal for Natalie and Bryce Whittingham when they first stepped into what they thought was going to be their forever home. 

“The dining room looks right into the woods,” Bryce says. “It was snowing and the view through the back window was so pretty.” 

Situated on 1.1 acres in Beaver County, the six-bedroom, two-bathroom home at 178 Laurel Drive in Brighton Township had everything they wanted: a great location, lots of room to grow and plenty of outdoor space. 

But, because of a job change, the home is now for sale. 

“We had no intention of selling. We just closed on Jan. 15 of this year,” says Natalie. “We love this house and it’s really sad for us to leave.”

Listed for $399,988 (MLS# 1533554, Rita Brimmeier, Piatt Sotheby’s International Realty, piattsothebysrealty.com), it is open by appointment. 

Besides the great lot, one of the first things you notice is the home’s amazing covered side porch. It features a tongue-in-groove ceiling, dimmable recessed lighting and crisp, white railings. The space was the de-facto gathering spot for the couple’s extended family, with graduations, Independence Day parties and other events hosted there.  

“We have a TV mounted on the wall to watch the games,” Bryce says. 

In the rear of the home, another long deck has more woodsy views, including a peek of a stream that runs in the distance. The Whittinghams also fenced in the entire backyard. 

Inside, things are just as pretty. Built in 1956, the home was carefully remodeled by previous owners. The original spindle staircase and hardwood floors are still in place.

Anchored by the original stone façade fireplace, the living room flows into the dining room, where there’s a farmhouse table that seats 10. The soft gray walls, complemented by white trim and molding, set a soothing tone — and the aforementioned picture window floods the space with natural light. 

“We purposefully did not install blinds,” Bryce says. “There is so much wildlife to look at: beautiful deer, turkeys in the front yard.”

In the generous kitchen, white shaker cabinets are accented by gray granite countertops and a natural stone backsplash. A center island easily seats four people, and the stainless appliance package includes a gas range. 

This floor also features three bedrooms. Painted an on-trend green, the primary bedroom has lots of closet space. The nursery is quite large in size, as is the third bedroom. They are all serviced by a renovated full bathroom that has horizontal tongue-in-groove planking and a pedestal sink. The generously sized shower has new tile and dual handshower bath fixtures. Shower doors on stainless-steel rollers finish off the look. 

Upstairs, three more large bedrooms feature carpeted floors and neutral-colored walls. They are all serviced by another fully renovated bathroom with seafoam green tile and a farmhouse sink vanity. 

The Whittinghams had many plans for this space.  

“When we bought this house, we anticipated it as a place where we could have our family continue to grow,” Bryce says. 

With that in mind, the couple finished the basement, which now features a natural wood accent wall and suspended ceiling. There’s room for a large sectional sofa, exercise equipment and a children’s play area. There also is a full laundry room and a plumbed full bathroom. 

“We insulated and soundproofed the whole space,” Natalie says.  

The home is just minutes from Beaver’s historic shopping district, which has everything from mom-and-pop grocers to banks to the well-known Kretchmar’s Bakery. Holiday lights, events in the square and more make the town a place where people want to put down roots — including the Whittinghams. 

“We really looked forward to our family growing there. We didn’t get to do that,” Bryce says. “Whoever buys this house, I think they will also want to grow a family there. It really is a forever home.” 

Hot Property, an inside look into unique and historic homes 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 gives an in-depth look at the region’s real estate market in Pittsburgh Magazine HOME, tracking housing prices and sales and detailing where the hot properties can be found. Rosa can be reached at onecordovaroad@gmail.com.

About: Brighton Township, brightontwp.org

Population: 8,790 

Planes, Trains & Automobiles: Rural, bedroom community. Public transit via Beaver County Transit Authority.  

Schools: Beaver Area School District (basd.k12.pa.us) includes a 2019 National Blue Ribbon School (Dutch Ridge Elementary School), plus athletics, technology, music, arts and a school newspaper. The district has five schools serving kindergarten through 12th grade.  

Neighborhood: Located in Beaver County, the area has a historic business district with a significant revitalization underway. To that end, the township is focusing on land preservation as part of its next 10-year plan as residents want to maintain the area’s lush hillsides and vast green space. The community is close to Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and is in close proximity to interstate highways, recreation and medical centers.