By Allison Brophy Champion
Jan 18, 2013
This charming Tudor boasts a storied past including a stint as a motion picture studio and a filming site for commercials. Listed for $3.2 million, the four-bedroom residence on a pond sits peacefully in an enchanting forested area.
The 8,339-square-feet property was originally constructed as a barn in 1935 and converted to a home in 1985, undergoing major renovations, according to listing agent Deborah Huffard with David Ogilvy & Associates-Christie’s International Real Estate in Greenwich.
“The entire ceiling was raised in the main portion of the house to provide space for new windows inspired by windows in a school building,” she said of the rehab designed by Weston architect MacLeod Snaith. “The 2.5-story great room has a large wood-burning fireplace and a balcony that surrounds the second level of space.”
The effect is dramatic indeed, accentuated by a mural in the entrance hall created by New York artist Wylene Commander.
The mural scene is meant to evoke the work of 18th-century artist George Stubbs (1724-1806), an English painter best known for his paintings of horses, according to Encyclopedia Britannica online. An anatomical draftsman as well, Stubbs released “Anatomy of a Horse” in 1766, considered a major work of reference for naturalists and artists alike.
The house at 230 Bedford is one-of-a-kind, Huffard said, mentioning its paneled grand library with two-sided fireplace and octagonal tray ceiling and another fireplace in the kitchen/family room. Wood and stone floors offer texture and rustic warmth starting in the front hallway with wide bay window and window seat.
The aforementioned Great Room, which Huffard called “the heart of the house,” features clerestory windows and spectacular arched window stretching to the very top of the gable. Wander to the end of the space to view nature. The Great Room, in addition, provides views of the entire second floor offering a feeling of being in a very comfortable inn.
A long dining room adjoins, featuring a beamed ceiling and ample room for family meals overlooking the lake. The kitchen with glass-fronted cabinets opens to the lakeside terrace from an interior space offering a delightful eating area.
A master suite upstairs provides the same view while also providing two private baths, closets and a second ensuite bedroom with a large bay window. The second level at 230 Bedford provides two more bedrooms, sharing a sitting room and bathroom.
Outside, the grounds are exceptional featuring towering trees framing the architecture, beautiful plantings and a waterside dock. The stone and clapboard residence is situated close to town and the New York state line, not far from Nichols Preserve owned by The Greenwich Riding & Trails Association, Inc., according to grta.org. The preserve of meadows, ponds, forest and red maple swamp, in proximity to the magical home at 230 Bedford Road, is open for hiking, jogging, horseback riding, fishing and cross-country skiing.
“It is truly a dramatic and enchanting home,” Huffard said. “There is a wonderful element of surprise.”
Listing agent: Deborah Huffard, David Ogilvy & Associates -Christies International Real Estate, (203) 570-3821
