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Renovations transform Brookline ranch

181 Laurel Road, Brookline; $3,480,000

This Brookline home now wears a very flattering whitewash accented by black trim on its remade, expanded ranch frame.Michele McDonald for the boston globe

It's as if a guy known for wearing the plainest of clothes suddenly appeared in a white dinner jacket and black tie. That's a good analogy for this Brookline home, which was once clad in plain red brick, but now wears a very flattering whitewash accented by black trim on its remade, expanded ranch frame.

Though reimagined, this house is still (mostly) one-floor living, and major rooms flow off the main hallway, which runs the length of the house. Just off the main entry, an archway frames the sunken living room, where one wall is covered with soft off-white leather. The most striking feature of this room, however, is the gas stainless-steel fireplace at its center. Floor-to-ceiling windows welcome in the natural light and offer views of the professionally landscaped grounds.

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Two steps up lead to the formal dining room with its textured wallpaper, wainscoting, and ample space — enough for a table that seats 12. A butler's pantry with zebrawood cabinets, a wine fridge, and an ice maker helps connect this room to the kitchen, a vast space with an island counter made of a single slab of a light-colored onyx. Adding contrast, the other counters are black poured concrete, and the cabinets are an eye-catching zebrawood. The stainless-steel appliances, including multiple ovens, are high-end. From the center of a recessed circle in the ceiling, a rainfall chandelier descends, signaling where the dining area is amid the expansive white-marble floor, cozy with radiant heat. French doors lead to the backyard and granite patios.

The master suite, created by an expansion at the right rear of the ranch, is a private respite. A double closet in the center of the room serves double duty: It heightens privacy for the bedroom space and frames the entry to the en suite bath with its double shower and stone-like ceramic-tile flooring and walls. The bedroom features floor-to-ceiling windows that look out to the in-ground pool, and French doors afford access to a small balcony perfect for morning coffee.

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The two other bedrooms are large with good-sized closets. The family bath offers a double vanity, a shower with tub, and ceramic-tile floor and walls. Two half baths, a mudroom with a heated river-rock floor, and a study with cabinetry complete this level.

The finished basement is well-suited for entertaining. In the media room, a wet bar beckons from one wall, while a floor-to-ceiling entertainment center commands attention in another. In between, recessed lighting currently holds court over a sectional as well as Ping-Pong, pool, and poker tables. This floor also houses a full bath; utility and laundry space; an area suitable for an office, playroom, or guest room; and an exercise room with rubber flooring and direct access to the backyard.

Prefer to exercise outdoors? The property also offers a fenced-in Sport Court and a kidney-shaped pool with a water feature. Freshen up in the copper-roofed cabana, which has a kitchenette and a full bath, before preparing lunch on the patio grill.

The home, set on 0.54 acre, also has a three-car garage.

Deborah M. Gordon of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Brookline is the listing broker. Showings are by appointment only.

181 Laurel Road, Brookline

$3,480,000

Style: Contemporary ranch

Year built: 1948/expansion 2008

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Square feet: 6,600 (includes walk-out basement)

Bedrooms: 3

Baths: 3 full, 2 half

Sewer/water: Public

Taxes: $19,846 (2015)

Michele McDonald for the boston globe
Michele McDonald for the boston globe
Michele McDonald for the boston globe
Michele McDonald for the boston globe/Globe Freelance
Michele McDonald for the boston globe
Michele McDonald for the boston globe
Michele McDonald for the boston globe
Michele McDonald for the boston globe
Michele McDonald for the boston globe

John R. Ellement can be reached at ellement@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @JREbosglobe. Send listings to homeoftheweek@globe.com. Please note: We do not feature unfurnished homes and will not respond to submissions we won't pursue.