Description
With a serene, peaceful setting on an estate-size secluded lot and a voluminous, completely turnkey interior, this artful custom home is the ultimate legacy property. Located in the heart of Fox Chapel nearby many local parks, restaurants and award-winning schools, this distinctive trophy home feels like a private nature preserve, as it is surrounded by mature specimen trees, shrubs and gardens. Set at the end of a cul-de-sac, this unique, collector-quality residence was built around a 100-year old barn by Todd Rossman, a notable designer/builder with Rossman and Hensley. Blending classic period details with modern amenities, the home features board and batten exterior cladding, copper gutters, antique wide plank wood floors, and Gothic style windows. Renovated with a focus on preserving the original character and style, the home includes a newer gourmet kitchen with stone counters, an upper level reading room/loft with multiple skylights, and a finished lower level, complete with a temperature-controlled wine cellar, a game room and a library with walls of built-in shelving. Soaring volume ceilings with exposed beams create an expansive, open atmosphere in the great room/dining area, which has a towering 30’ fireplace, built from the original barn’s stone foundation. Walls of windows and built-in shelving add to the appeal; a nearby dining room adds functionality. The adjacent designer kitchen showcases the latest technology and style, as it features a large center island with a unique wood slab breakfast bar, furniture-grade custom cabinets with glass insets, and a whimsical backsplash over the Wolf gas range. Open to a spacious family room and dining area, the kitchen also includes a built-in desk/workstation, dual Wolf ovens, a warming drawer, two sinks and a built-in refrigerator. Numerous oversized windows bring light inside; French doors open to a private deck, perfect for al fresco dining or bird watching. Dual staircases provide convenient access to the generous secondary bedrooms as well as the master suite, which has vaulted ceilings, a private balcony overlooking the serene, park-like grounds, a dressing room and a spa-like bathroom. Along with the master suite, many of the other bathrooms have walk-in showers and soaking tubs, ensuring there is something for everyone. Set into a hillside on a sandstone foundation, the home also includes wrought iron hardware, plank doors, punched tin light fixtures, new lighting and security systems, a fenced-in area for dogs, extensive stonework, and four newer ductless AC units for the bedrooms. Landscape architect Joel LeGall and horticulturalists John Totten and Linda Kramer assisted the current owners with the exterior plan, resulting in an inviting oasis that qualifies as a native backyard habitat under the Audubon Society. Features include a fenced garden area with raised beds, an entertaining pavilion with a fire pit, mature magnolias and maples, fruit trees such as pawpaw, pear and apple, serene meditative pathways and a grove of river birch trees. Tastefully updated and refined over the years, this inviting architectural home is the opportunity of a lifetime.
