Property Week
Unique West Suffield Home has a park-like setting
Turn into the driveway leading to this exceptional home at 1255 North Stone Street in West Suffield and you will be instantly whisked away from the workaday world. Located on four contiguous parcels of land, this property has a park-like setting that creates a feeling of peace and tranquility. The driveway takes you past a wide variety of plants, open fields, a pond, and woods, all leading to a charming ranch home that
combines ample room for one-floor living and entertaining.
“This is a special property,” said Scott Glenney of William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty. “It was built by a family that was a nursery grower,” which even a cursory glance at the wide array of plantings and professional
landscaping should confirm.
Glenney then points out some of the plants surrounding the home. “There are rhododendron along the driveway, and that is an umbrella pine.” He then takes note of a dogwood and wisteria, just two more of the numerous varieties of plants surrounding the home. “In the spring it is simply beautiful. It pops,” he said. “When showing the house, the best thing I can say is nothing at all. Just be silent and let the buyers experience the peace and tranquility.”
The inspiration for this home came from another house in Suffield, which the family liked so much that they reproduced it. They then sited it on nearly 40 acres of land in a location that assures privacy and tranquility. Only chirping birds and the sound of a gentle breeze wafting through the trees were heard on a recent visit.
The landscaping and plantings set high expectations for this home, and it does not disappoint. A wide bluestone front porch provides shelter as it welcomes guests, while a substantial wooden raised panel front door, with decorative carvings, entices visitors to enter.
The first stop will be the entry foyer with its tile floor.
It is open to the family room, which has large windows for views of the manicured grounds and the in-ground swimming pool. A large stone fireplace would, in any other room, be the focal point. But here, the scenery through the bay window at the back of the home claims that honor.
“The family room is large enough for you to have a couple of different seating areas,” Glenney said. He then pointed to the view through the trees. “You can see for – I don’t know how many miles – to those mountains in the background.” Enticing slivers of this vista are definitely visible. “The new owner could take out just a few trees and open that up,” he said. Doing so would in no way diminish the privacy that this home enjoys.
To the left of the entry foyer is a hallway that accesses the kitchen, a half bath and two of the three bedrooms, which are served by a full bath. To the right is the study, and beyond that, an impressive primary bedroom suite. Oak flooring is used extensively in the public areas of the home.
The family room leads to the formal dining room, which features a chair rail and wide plank wainscoting. It has direct access to the kitchen, which should delight the entire family. It is has space for a table, while the granite counters along the perimeter and on the large central island provide ample room for several chefs to work simultaneously. The corner sink has views of the grounds that might prompt some people to volunteer to do dishes while built-in appliances are spaced for a smooth workflow.
The kitchen’s island features a built-in cooktop. Cabinets along the perimeter hold a built-in oven and microwave and offer space for a large refrigerator. Along the back wall the granite work surface includes a small desk. Adding to
its appeal, the kitchen also accesses the sunroom. It is spacious and inviting with an expansive array of windows. A pergola covered in wisteria shades an adjacent patio.
The study is spacious. Highlights include impressive built-in cabinets and bookshelves, raised panel wainscoting, and a fireplace. It is comfortable while also being impressive enough to serve as a proper backdrop for business meetings on Zoom.
The primary bedroom suite has access to the outside and the pool, a feature that Glenney praises. “You can step outside for a morning swim and then come in to the private bath,” he noted. This bath has a separate room for the commode, a bidet and the shower. A sink and vanity are just inside this area that connects to an array of closets.
The basement is unfinished but roomy. It includes a wine cellar.
The two-car garage, which is attached to the home, is reached via a covered, short outdoor walkway from the kitchen. This garage includes a covered storage bay at the far end that would be perfect for stacking firewood. There is also a separate three bay open garage for additional vehicles. This open vehicle shelter, with a paved driveway leading to it for easy access, also has a large lockable storage room. Additional storage is available in a separate utility outbuilding.
Glenney noted that the home has a new roof and new windows. It also features a standby Kohler generator and central air conditioning.
“Whoever ends up buying this home will enjoy it tenfold,” Glenney said. He is being conservative.
For more information, go to 1255northstonestreet.com