New England country estate
Colonial elegance and comfort to create a family santuary
Uniquely beautiful and picturesque, Fairfield’s Mine Hill Road is a quiet meandering street lined with stately trees, stones walls, and charming homes. Here, this captivating three-plus acre compound proffers all the appeal of a quintessential New England country estate among lush lawns, tranquil gardens, an authentic Amish barn as well as a barn and guest house.
Framed by stone walls and stately specimen trees, this enchanting six-bedroom colonial effortlessly blends elegance and comfort to create an ideal family sanctuary. Thoughtful details reflect the owners desire to honor the past yet provide all the essentials for a thoroughly modern lifestyle.
The original house was built in the 1890s and had been added onto and renovated over the many decades. After it was decided to raze the structure, the owners were determined to reclaim as much usable material from the house and barn as possible and include them in the new structure to honor the history of the house and add to its overall charm. Solid timber beams, reclaimed wide board flooring, fireplace mantle, sinks, doors, crystal knob fixtures and hardware were salvaged through a labor of love and incorporated into the finished structure.
“The house was newly built in 2010 but feels like it’s always been here,” said the owner. “It truly is a legacy home that will proudly endure for years to come.”
The house was built to exacting standards using the highest quality materials and extensive mill work throughout the home’s 7,663 square feet. Inside, there is an open flow among light-filled rooms each with a view to the magnificent gardens. The spacious living room offers handsome built-ins, one of five fireplaces and French doors to the garden. The formal dining room is finely appointed, while the library provides sophisticated space for a proper home office.
The true heart of the home lies in the kitchen, equipped with a six-burner gas range, Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezers, marble counters and cabinets and island crafted from antique chestnut beams. A family room with fireplace, a separate breakfast room with vaulted ceiling and screened porch are adjacent and overlook the bluestone patio and enchanting grounds.
There are six bedrooms, including a luxurious master suite featuring a sitting room, marble bath and dressing room. A playroom can be found on the third level, while the finished lower level features a large game room, gym and a glass-fronted 1,500- bottle wine cellar and tasting room with native stone fireplace.
There are two barns on the property. The first offers a beautiful open main level for guest, office or party space, along with a terrific loft also suitable for office or guest space, as well as one and a half baths plus a six-car garage. An equipment barn at the rear property was built by Amish craftsmen and fitted together on site by an Amish work crew.
From every window in the house, the views invite an experience of the surrounding landscape. The various herb, flower and vegetable gardens create unique vignettes in which to escape. A sunken garden, now graced with a reflecting pool and fountain, was once a kitchen herb garden and retains its original shape and towering rhododendrons.
“The trees on the property spoke to us on our very first visit to the house,” the owner explained. “They anchor the house to the property, connecting us to the past and fostering a deep sense of stewardship. Ancient sugar maples, a specimen beech perfect for climbing, and a towering hemlock hedge create an everchanging canopy and an enclosed sanctuary.