By Allison Brophy Champion
Nov 23, 2012
The recently listed property encompassing adjacent addresses of 7 and 9 Larkspur Lane includes a separate building lot on the private and historic Sabine Farm. Located off Round Hill Road in a pastoral area where horses still graze, the 9,379-square-foot residence on 4.26 acres is listed for $7.69 million.
Another point of interest is the property’s situation on the former site of a century-old farm that still houses one of Greenwich’s “Great Estates,” according to homeowner Sandy Waters.
“Sabine Farm was one of the original Greenwich Great Estates, built in the late 19th century. Originally a working farm, the owners sold much of the property for development in the late 1960s, which resulted in the creation of Doverton Drive and Larkspur Lane,” she said. “In fact, when we purchased our home, the original estate greenhouse still stood on the property.”
The featured residence at 7 Larkspur was built in 1996 with luxury and detail at the forefront, featuring well-scaled principal rooms, beautifully appointed informal spaces, hardwood floors, paneling and six fireplaces, according to listing agent Barbara Hindman with Sotheby’s International Realty in Greenwich.
A dramatic double-height foyer introduces the main level leading to a step-down living room with a coffered ceiling. The home’s south-facing main rooms receive plentiful sunlight via French doors that open to granite terraces surrounding a Shoreline pool and recreation area with a built-in grill, stone counters and seating walls. A bluestone terrace with a retractable awning further enhances the park-like outdoor experience at 7 Larkspur.
Back in the living room, features include fabric-covered walls and a marble fireplace adjacent to an oak-paneled library with generous built-ins and an additional fireplace. A formal dining room has 10-foot ceilings and curved windows. A marble butler’s pantry serves the main level.
The carefree kitchen features marble surfaces and vaulted ceilings connected to an airy breakfast room and adjacent family room with a fireplace. The main level at 7 Larkspur Lane, in addition, includes a guest suite with a private path, fireplace and an outdoor sitting area beyond its French doors. Also on the main level is an au pair suite and formal powder room.
A sumptuous master suite anchors the second level, offering a light-filled bedroom with a tray ceiling, cove lighting and custom his and her closets. Hindman describes the master bath as opulent, providing terra cotta marble counters with double sinks, a Jacuzzi tub, steam shower and radiant heat floor. Adjacent to the master suite is a private study and office with a fireplace, build-ins and a cedar closet.
Three additional bedrooms and two baths complete the second floor, along with another large family room with build-ins.
White picket fences and attractive landscaping complete the picture of luxury.
The inclusive adjacent lot is completely level with no wetlands, making it one of the most beautiful parts of the entire property, Hindman said. “The house is also very nice and photogenic,” she added. “It is a great house and property in a premier location.”
Sabine Farm is a warm and friendly neighborhood where residents meet at least annually to approve a budget and discuss shared issues, said Waters. The area is perfect for walking, which adds to the community feel, she said. The original estate for which the association is named still stands next to more than 15 acres of property, including a wide open field in front, Waters said.
“The field where the horses can be seen was purchased by neighbors and sold to the Greenwich Land Trust. The horses should have a home there for many years to come,” she said.
The Sabine Farm neighborhood is surrounded by large tracts of property and woodlands owned by the Boys and Girls Club, Boy Scouts and Round Hill Club. This wide open nature is what attracted Waters and her husband, as well as the meandering horses on the corner, one of their favorite scenes in town. Their shingle-style house at 7 Larkspur was under construction when they first visited the area.
Their favorite part of the house, like most families, is the kitchen and family rooms. “In the summer, we love taking our coffee outside on the patios immediately behind those rooms, watching the pool, enjoying the morning sun and reading the newspaper,” she said.
The large estate is a wonderful space for a growing family, and the adjacent lot suitable for an in-laws’ cottage, or even another home, Waters said. “We entertain often and the flow is excellent either inside for a Christmas open house or outside for a picnic around the patio barbeque and pool.” A fenced-in backyard keeps their squirrel-chasing pooch safe.
Listing Agent: Barbara Hindman, Sotheby’s International Realty, 203-869-4343
