grand LUXURY
What you can get for $5 million in Adams
The seemingly unnatural confluence of Italian villa and Montana mountain chic generates an unforced, easy elegance in this Butler County mansion.
Construction of the multigabled limestone home in Adams took three years and was completed in 2011 by PW Campbell Contracting and architect Jeffrey DeNinno. When the original owner died, Michael and Karen Hartley bought the property sight unseen.
“We bought the house based on the evaluation of our son, Kent, our builder, Tim Kelly, and our Realtor, Kim Maier,” said Mr. Hartley.
The four-bedroom, fourbath house boasts 18,251
square feet of living space and sits on nearly 6 acres at 1659 Chapel Ridge Lane.
It’s on the market for $5 million with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services agent Kim Maier (www.thepreferredrealty.com or 724-3163124).
The property (MLS No. 1330290) also has two powder rooms, an eco-friendly geothermal heating and cooling system, Crestron lighting and a high-tech water filtration system. Architectural features include soaring cathedral ceilings, murals and lots of fine woodwork.
“The exterior doors are mahogany on the outside and walnut on the inside,” Ms. Maier noted during a tour.
The couple did make a few changes. The Hartleys installed a 24-foot-high limestone fireplace in the lower great room and a wine room that can hold 1,000 bottles. The lower level also contains a bedroom suite and a full bar. The great room, which has a coffered ceiling, opens to a terrace for warmweather gatherings.
“The home is ideal for entertaining,” said Mr. Hartley.
So why sell such a perfect place?
“Once we completed the enhancements, we decided that since we were in Florida eight months a year with a large home, we would offer it for sale for someone who could enjoy it year-round,” he said.
Since the couple was usually in Florida during the winter, they didn’t get to enjoy the home’s heated driveway, heated garages and warm floors.
“There are concrete floors on each level, and there is radiant heating throughout the house,” their agent said.
The limestone facade, copper gutters, slate roof and porte-cochère with mahogany ceiling make the house a standout from the street, but it’s the interior that is truly exceptional. The kitchen was built and assembled in Italy and then shipped and reassembled inside the house with fusion granite counters.
Three sets of French doors serve as the home’s main entrance and open into a grand reception hall. The adjacent living room has a dramatic walnut and mahogany vaulted ceiling, custom-made antler chandeliers, a highly polished fusion granite floor and two wildlife murals painted by artist Paul Means of Butler.
“The original owner traveled all over the world, which informed the design of the home,” said Ms. Maier.
She pointed out spindles on a metal railing in the living room that looks into the great room. “These came from a church in Ireland.”
All of the hardware including door hinges and knobs is from David Michael Architectural. The house also has an elevator, a media room and a state-of-the-art security system.
A dramatic white paneled stairwell connects the threestory home and holds four paintings by Robert Kingsley. Many of the paintings, sculptures and furnishings were collected by the original owner, who also had many hunting trophies.
“During the purchase, we contracted with the estate to buy most of the art including bronze statues and high-end furniture that we felt suitably complemented the house,” Mr. Hartley said, noting that he would be open to selling it.
Ms. Maier noted a secondfloor room that overlooks the living room and is currently used as an office. “The floor plan is very versatile, and if you needed more bedroom space it could easily be converted,” she said.
“We also converted a large [second-floor] room into a bedroom, adding an ensuite bathroom,” Mr. Hartley said.
A separate apartment with its own kitchen, bath, bedroom and living area was built seamlessly as part of the home. “It even has its own, staircase and entrance,” the real estate agent said.
She noted that the apartment could be used by a housekeeper/butler or by an adult relative. It has its own garage that is separate from the main three-car garage.