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Serenity from sunrise to sunset
Thirty-mile views of the Loudoun Valley, the Blue Ridge mountains and a neighboring vineyard from this home's front porch confirm that southern living is alive and well in Northern Virginia.
The custom-built Sunset Hill Lane home features Jack arches above the windows and a Flemish bond coursing on every seventh row of brick. A brick walkway leads you from the parking pad to the all-brick curved staircase and front porch. Music emanates to the outside through speakers built into the porch's ceiling.
Inside, the rich, Brazilian cherry hardwood floors will tempt you to remove your shoes to feel their smoothness against your bare feet. Walk to the left, you'll see the formal living room through sliding-glass pocket doors. Four windows – high-efficiency Vetter HiPro4 with UV protection – line the walls and surround the vent-free propane fireplace. To the left of the foyer is the formal dining room, which boasts the same architectural makeup as the adjacent formal living room. The dining room, however, is accented with an arched doorway, custom casement, three-piece crown molding and chair-rail and shadow-box molding.
The gourmet kitchen provides enough space for a social cook who prefers to entertain the crowd while working. Golden cherry cabinets abound, as do the upgraded appliances such as the stainless-steel double oven, the three-bowl cast-iron sink, the custom bronze tile work on the backsplash and the Silestone countertops. While the deep hues of the floor and cabinets may seem to darken the area, the wealth of recessed lighting and the row of windows in the sunroom and breakfast area counteract the effect.
Follow the breakfast area out to the great room and you will be overcome by its eminence. The dramatic two-story windows are mirrored in the second-story balconies that line the upper-level hallway -- they will have you wondering if you are living here or just passing by with pleasure. French doors open up to a beautiful back deck that makes for a tranquil retreat. The room features a Victorian charcoal fireplace replica, an upstairs gallery with recessed focus lights to illuminate pictures, and four arches with custom casements.
A half bathroom with a large Kohler sink and toilet is down the hall. Sharing this end of the house is the laundry room with cherry cabinets, a wet sink and a large deep freezer. The room is tucked in the home's far corner, perfect for hiding dirty laundry. A closet-lined hallway opens up the fully finished three-bay garage. The back deck can also be accessed through the garage.
A staircase in the great room guides you to the master bedroom suite, which is just to the left on the upper level. Walk through and you will find four windows offering views of the front of your home's plush green lawn. The expansive suite also features a sitting room with a ceiling fan, and continuing on, you will find the two walk-in closets on either side of the opening to the master bathroom. The master bathroom has two separate sinks and vanities – with her side offering extra counter space for a powder area and a larger storage closet for beauty products. The bathroom also features a water closet, a shower with two seats and a Kohler Shiatsu soak tub in the corner.
Exiting the master suite, you will see a hallway to the left. This will lead you to the second-story porch that will take your breath away. You will find every excuse to drop anything you are doing to enjoy a cup of tea while sitting on this porch.
Back inside and to the immediate left is the second bedroom. It has a large, walk-in closet, attic access and is wired for a ceiling fan, as are the other two bedrooms. This room's bathroom has dual entries, and shares with the bedroom next door. The custom Kohler sink features an artistic design of Sleeping Beauty's story – it begins with “once upon a time” and continues around the bowl to “happily ever after.” The same design is continued on the toilet. A full bathtub is complete with sand-color tile.
Down the hall is the third bedroom, currently being used as an office. The entire office is equipped with an audio/video distribution system. The house is wired for speakers in every room, and most rooms are wired with Cat5 (a high-speed Internet and Fios connection).
At the back of the house is the fourth bedroom that has a transom window at the end. This princess suite has a full bathroom with a countertop whose beautiful gray color is continued in the shower.
The lower level is something to behold. You will be shocked to find a party room at the foot of the stairs. The large gathering room has been used by the current owner as a ballroom, a wedding reception area and even a platform for office speeches. For you? It can be anything. Large tile and walls of windows leave the area open to the imagination. French doors lead to the back patio and a wet bar on the other side of the room is perfect for placing empty glasses and concocting new ones.
Down the hall from the ballroom is a full bathroom with a large window. Across from the bathroom's entrance is the home's 5-by-6-foot Finlandia sauna. It has two seats, a tile floor and a glass door. Just outside the sauna is the fifth bedroom, perfectly located for a relaxing after hitting the gym and calming down in the sauna.
The gym is on the other side of the stairs and has a television mounted to the wall. The large media area is just outside. It has two windows on either side of the stone fireplace.
Tucked away in the back corner of the home is the wine cellar. With tile floors and a small window, it is a quiet place for chilling an expansive collection of bottles.
Besides the sauna, gym and ballroom, perhaps the biggest selling point of this home is the land it sits on. In Waterford, you will live in one of only three National Historic Landmark Districts in the United States. Make this haven your home and you will be a part of history.
Contact the writer at hhager@timespapers.com
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