Meg Barone
On a quiet cul-de-sac in the heart of the Hunt Club section of Westport is an attractive contemporary house that would be ideal for a gardener because of the lot size, landscaping and its greenhouse. The taupe colored cedar house at 5 Sprucewood Lane is almost like a private botanical paradise on a 1.23-acre parcel. The house is set well back from the road. Its paved driveway goes through a gate and up a slight incline to the two-car attached, under-house garage, passing along the way some beautiful shrubs and trees arranged in such a way that they provide a serene setting.
There is a beautiful view from almost every direction on the property and from inside the home looking out onto the grounds and surrounding neighborhood. This 4,153-square-foot house was built in 1945 and features four bedrooms, including a large first floor master bedroom suite with his and hers closets and baths. From the driveway there is a wide slate path lined in the field stone of the retaining wall that leads to the front entrance, which includes an attractive wood door with decorative carvings.
The door is flanked by tall single-pane sidelights that are more like atrium windows. Above them is a long horizontal window on the second floor level. To the left of the front entrance, as you face the house, is the greenhouse.
Inside, there is a sizable foyer with a forest-green ceramic tile floor, providing access to various sections of the house. Straight ahead is the spacious living room. To the left is the wing of the house which has an office and the master bedroom suite. To the right is the wing with the dining room and kitchen.
Also in the foyer is the second-floor staircase. The living room has a soaring vaulted ceiling, a hardwood floor, and a fireplace and a large rounded bay area including eight tall, single pane windows atop an arched ledge that creates display shelving for artifacts or plants. The fireplace has a brick interior and green ceramic tile hearth. In keep ing with the contemporary design of the house, there is no mantle. More of the tall single-pane windows on another wall and a skylight help to bring lots of natural light into the room.
The living room leads into the family room, which features a slate floor, numer ous wood built-ins and a fireplace with a brick interior and exterior surround. There is a raised brick hearth topped in slate and a mantle.
The wood paneled wall, brick around the fireplace and the hearth are painted green.
Accessed from the family room are the garage and a large three-season porch, which has a white ceramic tile floor, about a dozen tall, single-pane windows, and a large bay area almost identi cal to the one in the living room.
Compared to the other rooms, the kitchen is on the smaller side, and yet it is just the right size for daily food preparation and entertaining. It has the same green ceramic tile floor of the foyer, white cabinets, two counter areas with deep pink Formica counter tops, and wallpaper in a contemporary swirl of pink, purple, blue, green and white. Appliances include a Sub-Zero refrigerator, Bosch dishwasher, Thermador double wall-mounted ovens, and a Thermador range top on the counter.
The dining room has a hardwood floor, purple walls, two corner cabinets with two upper glass-front doors, and chair railing. There are four tall windows on the wall that overlooks the front yard of the property and above those windows is a semicircle cut into the ceiling to reveal a large window over them.
At the opposite end of the house, on the other side of the foyer, is a long hallway with green ceramic tile flooring. The office is accessed from this hallway. It has built-in bookshelves and an entrance into the green house.
At the end of the hall there is a full bath with a blue ceramic tile floor, natural wood vanity, papered walls, and a walk-in shower with various sizes of blue ceramic tile on the floor and walls.
This is the “his” bath that goes with the master bed room suite. It sits just outside the suite itself. In the suite there is a large bedroom with a hardwood floor, a six-door tall storage closet area, his and hers closets and the “hers” full bath, which features a purple ceramic tile floor, papered walls in a lavender, purple and off-white art nouveau pattern, and a white commode and separate bidet. The sink is white with an attractive hand-painted floral pattern encased in the purple Formica counter top.
This bath also features a large, circular jetted tub on a ceramic tile base with a decorative tile border. Up stairs, the landing is open, providing an “aerial” view into the living room. There are three bedrooms on this level, two of which have wall to- wall carpeting and one with hardwood floor. All three have built-in book shelves. The full bath on this level is unique. It is separated into two side-by-side rooms; one is like a large water closet with a blue ceramic tile floor, and one has a combination tub and shower, as well as a vanity and sink.
For more information, or to set up a private appointment to see the house, call Judy Mi chaelis of Coldwell Banker Real Estate at 203-247-5000 or e-mail her at judym@optonline.net.
