09/25/2024
Are you searching for a true “rus in urbe” in Northern Virginia? This is a historic colonial brick home built in 1883 and has just undergone a several-hundred-thousand-dollar renovation from joists to rooftop. Its 67 acres of quiet pastureland with a long gated gravel driveway that fronts the state road, two-acre stocked pond, and tall trees all around complete the offering as a unique refuge from the pace and grind of the city.
You are guided down the long driveway by stately rows of deciduous and evergreen trees. You come out into the open and the house is situated on the rise to your left, with total privacy from the neighborhoods around. Inside, the grand old staircase draws your gaze up to the second story. But on your right you can’t help ducking into the library. The stunning brick lines of the fireplace and the built-in shelving will be just right for the quiet afternoon hours here.
Walking across into the formal dining room, the crystal chandelier is nothing short of astonishing. The grace and poise of the brick fireplace and mantel with its slate hearth and all the natural light streaming in on both sides is just right for that entertainment you’ve been thinking of getting around to. The details are well thought through and your mind is already placing the furniture you’d like to bring.
You go into the kitchen, and find that it’s just as exquisite. The smoky gray granite slabs are perfectly paired with the starch-white cabinets and the sacred triangle of stove-refrigerator-dishwasher has been well laid out. The LVT is a rich, luxurious deep silver. It is spacious and tidy but not sprawling, and again the natural light bathes everything in the sun. This is a space you could spend all morning in or grab a piece of toast on your way to the office, and either way it will enrich your life.
The sitting room continues the motif of 200-year-old brick and built-ins, and you start to notice the flooring. Hardwood like this would have been a sin to cover up, so you’re thankful the builder was keeping short accounts with God. The rich patterns and history you see in it would be impossible to duplicate even with our modern technology. This is a house that’s been around a long time, and maybe it’s the one that’s perfect for you. The powder room is tasteful for guests and beside it you discover the washer and dryer in their nook.
In the sunroom, with a split HVAC system, pleasing wall sconces and bay window shelving for plants, this is a place where you could enjoy that mint julep with a friend for a few quiet hours.
Upstairs you make a right and discover a main bedroom as richly appointed in the same lavish country style as the rest of the home. The same elliptical arch you noticed over the front porch pillars is used to frame a unique built-in vanity with closet doors on either side. The matching light fixtures are oil-rubbed bronze and contribute to the atmosphere of understated luxury. Again the natural light and refinished floors complete the experience. The adjacent bathroom is crisp and welcoming. You wander through the other two bedrooms on the second floor, marveling at the lines and framing of the adaptation of twenty-first century expectations to nineteenth-century architecture.
You end up out at the covered patio, enjoying that fresh breeze you could never get from your office. It’s just right for a book and a nap. The detached 2-car garage has a spacious apartment on the second floor, perfect for in-laws or an in-home photography studio.
Pull your car over the rise of the hill down to the pond. Two acres of water is more than you thought. There is a conservation easement, so no development could be done here, but it is on 67 private acres so it has the solitude you’ve been looking for.
Call 540.280.3385 today for more information or to set up a tour. Realtors welcomed. Equal Housing Opportunity.
