Like peace and quiet? Then this is the property for you, assuming your pockets are deep. Represented by Corcoran’s Tim Davis and Peter Huffine, Listowel is 6.9 acres and has basically no neighbors. Three sides of the property are farm fields, while the fourth is Mecox Bay. The gardens, designed by landscape architect Quincy Hammond, include formal parterres, an allée of sycamore trees, orchard of 60-year-old apple trees, potager, flower cutting gardens, and drystone walls. Of course there’s a pool and a dock on the bay for your boat or kayak.
As for the house itself, it’s a spectacular 12,000 square foot Shingle Style designed in 2008 by Katherine McCoy with interiors by Daniel Romualdez. This is where the record needle suddenly scratches. The interiors, shall we say, embrace the dark side. We think they’re absolutely beautiful, and we covet the two-story library with the fire of a thousand suns. However, we also think the interiors are too idiosyncratic for a beach house. Most people want light and bright for their summer/weekend place, not gloomy and dark. Another issue for us is the kitchen, which looks like a commercial restaurant kitchen. Most people want a kitchen that’s a homey gathering spot, not something that looks like Gordon Ramsay is going to start yelling at us in it.
There’s plenty of space, with the main house, an attached but separate guest cottage, and a carriage house. Of course there’s also room for a tennis court.
So this place is a tough sell, especially at the previous asking price of $39 million. Now the price has been cut by $7 million. Whether that’s enough, we don’t know: this place is completely sui generis in every way. We’ll keep an eye on it.
For more, click here. 258 Horse Mill Lane, Water Mill
