624 S 45th Street, Tacoma, WA 98418

The maples on G Street get most of the attention, and deservedly so, but this corner is where the block really shows off. A charcoal-shingled craftsman sits behind a weathered picket fence, and nearly everything in front of it has been planted: raised beds, dahlias, sunflowers, and a climbing rose that has thoroughly claimed the arbor where the swings hang. Inside, the house is unfussy and full of light. Oak floors run through the open living and dining rooms, windows face three directions, and the entry still has its original peg rail doing honest work. The kitchen is the one people talk about: quartz counters, a deep sink with a brass faucet, sleek cabinetry, checkerboard floors, and the original brick chimney left exposed where it passes through. Just off it, the laundry room is generous enough to serve as pantry and project space. A bedroom and updated full bath sit on the main floor; two more rooms are tucked upstairs beneath painted beadboard, with dormers that look straight...