There’s a stately, dappled brick manse standing at 1024 Smith Ridge Road—a gated home beyond town that, with its dozen rooms spanning nearly 7,000 square feet, resides within a calm, but breathtaking, natural enclosure.
“I’ve been in this business for more than 25 years,” says Mary Higgins, of Halstead Property, who has the $4,500,000 listing. “And it’s by far the most spectacular house and property I’ve ever had the joy of seeing.”
That wow factor, enhanced by the four acres of sculpted land surrounding the house, only increases when you consider the sheer volume of each of its many rooms. This stately sanctuary includes more than 1,100 square-feet of bedroom space on the second floor alone.
There’s also a huge, three-car, 1,000-square-foot garage in which to stow your vehicles. There are massive family and living rooms flanking an enormous eat-in, islanded kitchen, and a beautifully appointed dining room, with embellishments in each that dazzle the eye.
Further setting all this apart is a balanced combination of construction elements and structural composition—a well-modulated mix of modern and choice vintage. The space isn’t overwhelmed by the details that enhance it, such as glass bay and French doors, a sprawling, spiral staircase, built-in shelving, recessed windows, wood paneling, and tapered ceilings. All mingle unostentatiously within the home’s decorous ambiance.
Taken together, the interior and exterior offer a grandeur and refinement visitors seldom encounter, Higgins notes.
“It’s in the understated elegance,” she says, “the exquisite finish, and all the fine detailing—and the architecture itself, which has been enhanced by additions.”
Such additions include outdoor amenities—a pool enclosed by a private patio, as well as a small hedge maze set near a growth of hemlocks. The blend of nature and hearth is echoed further by the recessed quality of the house’s front, set well apart from Route 123, and the traffic to and from town.
“It’s a park-like property,” Higgins continues. “It’s almost like the Botanical Gardens…with specimen trees: a perfect little tranquil oasis that takes your breath away. The entire place has a peaceful feeling as you go through the house and walk the grounds.”
