1914 James Street, Durham, NC 27707

This house is the Slick James of houses: It's a very special cottage, the kind you want to show to others. From the roof down to the crawlspace, it's done to the nines. It's giving subtle in the front, party in the back thanks to a smart expansion project that saw the addition of a primary suite and kitchen renovation, which modernized the house without foregoing the soul and spirit of the era from which it came. Functional and funky with three bedrooms and two full baths, the house brims with good style and offers the detail that everyone clamors for: Built-ins; pocket doors; soft-close drawers. It will be hard not to freak at the kitchen, with counter space for miles, a crisp chef's triangle, and a peninsula to pull your dinner guests up to. When your crowds need room to run, head outside to the deck and large fenced in yard, or flex your music, gardening, or ceramics chops in the wired workshop. When you're more in the spirit of 'I don't want to cook,' you'll be blessed by being...