Two Wembley Lane, A Cozy Circle of Community

Stan Wilde moved to Mercer Island 28 years ago to marry the mother of two who had inherited the three-bedroom home in her divorce. Wilde helped raise her sons and the couple enjoyed watching their grandchildren play in the community pool. “The pool is great for younger families, but my grandkids are grown now,” he said. “So now that my wife has passed, I am thinking of moving to Arizona to be closer to my sons.”

Before he put the house up for sale, however, Wilde felt it was necessary to “fix the place up” with a new roof, new energy-efficient double-paned windows, refinished oak floors, new carpeting and fresh paint both inside and out. The electrical system and plumbing were also updated, and the heat runs on a 5-year-old oil furnace.

Upon entering this 1959 split level home, the bright and airy quality is enhanced by the vaulted ceilings and large view windows in every room. The wood-burning fireplace in the spacious living room looks ready for a cozy afternoon of taking in the “peek-a-boo” view of Lake Washington through the picture window. The sky-lighted kitchen is sleek and stylish, with a built in microwave and oven, as well as a flat-surface GE range in the marble countertop.

The master bedroom has an en suite bathroom with a glassed-in shower and custom maple wood cabinets that can be seen throughout the house. All of the doors are solid wood, which has a noise-dampening effect, and all of the sizable closets are tricked out with custom-made wooden organizers.

The 800-plus square foot recreation room downstairs has another wood burning fireplace, and a separate laundry room/mud room for those coming in from the backyard with it’s forested patio area. The two-car garage is wide and deep enough to hold two large vehicles and a motorcycle.

Wilde notes that a year ago the pool was starting to leak after 50 years of wear and tear, so each house on Wembley Lane put up $10,000 to pay for the $100,000 renovation of the swimming pool, which is now slated to last another 50 years. Each of the 10 homes on Wembley lane pays an $85 a month maintenance fee for the pool.

Though he considers Mercer Island a “hub” community that is mainly prized for it’s easy access to Seattle and Bellevue, Wilde said the real issue in his neighborhood is safety. “The great thing about the house is that it’s on a private, U-shaped lane, and everyone can see each others homes,” said Wilde. “We’ve never had any problems with crime or burglaries here.”