PHOTO BY SARAH JACOBSONAddress: 3675 Brinnington Road
Neighborhood: Meriwether/Ivy in Albemarle
Asking: $1,195,000
Assessment: $1,141,700
Year Built: 1999
Size: 3,756 fin. sq. ft. / 1,336 unfin.
Land: 4.12 acres
Agent: Charles McDonald, Re/Max Assured Properties, 981-1585
Curb Appeal: 10 out of 10
If money cannot buy happiness, it can buy space and light. Frank Lloyd Wright designed houses that would have views without and views within, connecting seemingly expansive interiors with the landscape outside.
This sprawling Wright-inspired property does just that. As it's all on one level, the house's unusual shape allows for windows and doors in corners that open to the outside, offering 180-degree views of the heavily wooded lot. With the crunchy gravel driveway, it almost has the feel of a Zen retreat.
The space is ideal for working at home. A large office complete with built-in cabinets and desk space that wraps around three walls makes it seem big enough for two to work together comfortably with plenty of storage for files, supplies, and the like.
Another space for more creative work is the artist's studio a few steps below the rest of the house, with a cathedral ceiling. Bi-fold doors expand for privacy, and the small sink would be useful for washing brushes. Tall windows bring in the light, and electronic screens provide shade at the touch of a button; the space is now used as a music room.
To bring in even more light, the owners have added a skylight above the kitchen island and solar tube lights in rooms that normally wouldn't have any natural light, like an interior half bath. The kitchen also has an additional window that expands the views. Another efficiency is the house's multi-zoned heated concrete floors, which allow for varying temperatures throughout. The concrete also stays cool in the summer, meaning less air conditioning.
Foodies will envy the professional kitchen. The owner, a former culinary school owner, ripped out and trashed the house's existing Viking stove (insane by many foodies' standards) and replaced all appliances with the French Miele brand. With pale wood and light granite, the space is airy. Stainless also reflects the light.
Beyond the high-ticket appliances, the room is designed for a working cook. The island has a lower, waist-height prep counter complete with an additional sink for rinsing, and an under-the-counter trash bin to sweep scraps out of the way. Clean-up was also a consideration. The over-sized sink has an irregular shape— a round protrusion accommodates big pots. Shelving that tucks into the wall and comes out to pivot on tracks, drawers that pull themselves shut, and an induction cooktop also add to the kitchen's luxury and efficiency. A big pantry offers additional storage.
One of Wright's concepts for home life was that shared spaces should be large while private bedrooms remain small. Off the kitchen and dining area, the open living room's double corner doors open to a terrace, and two large windows point out, creating an extra seating area. The space also has a fireplace and built-in shelving.
A separate guest suite comes furnished. It's accessible by a covered breezeway but at arm's length from the main house. The suite has a large bedroom with sitting area and as much light as the rest of the house. A screened-in porch off the bedroom leads to a deck.
With such a lush space-- including a private kitchenette-- it may be difficult to get guests to go home.
But who could blame anyone for not wanting to leave a place with so much to see, in every direction?
PHOTOS BY SARAH JACOBSON
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