Thirty years ago, Diane Neff and husband Don Shearin built their ideal woodland estate—in the middle of Kirkwood. Bordering Powder Valley Nature Center, the custom brick home sits on property that was once the ground of the Lemp family’s summer estate. “They had buffalo and other animals, and you can still see old signs that read ‘Game Preserve,’” Neff says. “We enjoyed the history and privacy, and it was such a rare opportunity to get land in Kirkwood.”
The 3,300-square-foot home was built with reclaimed brick from a building downtown, and was designed to mimic an old home in Virginia, Neff explains. Architect Lowell Girardier incorporated plenty of special details, including beamed and coffered ceilings, plantation shutters and three fireplaces. “Our floors are all wood, marble or brick and we have beautiful millwork— it’s just a family-oriented, cozy house,” Neff says.
An atrium sun room with coffered ceiling and large windows offers a cozy place to take in the surrounding nature. “It’s a beautiful place to watch the woods through the seasons, and we enjoyed watching the leaves change and the blooms come” Neff says. “There are all kinds of wildlife, and because it’s around Powder Valley, it will never change.” Another favorite retreat was the spacious master bedroom, where Neff would often sit and read a book by the fireplace.
The kitchen, featuring warm maple cabinetry and an inlaid brick floor made from reclaimed materials, is Neff’s favorite room and has been updated since the family built the home. “It’s an open kitchen, so it really is a fun place to gather,” she says. “When we have people over, they can sit in the adjoining great room by the fireplace and visit while I cook. We’ve had tremendous holiday parties where the kids bake cookies while the adults sit in front of the fireplace and drink wine.”
When the weather’s nice, Neff often would sit outside in the evenings and watch the birds. “We wanted to keep it a woodsy environment, but we did put in an English garden,” Neff says. “And in the back of the house there’s a large patio and beds with flowers and bushes.”
Now empty nesters, Neff and her husband want to downsize. “It’s just me and my husband; our children are all over the country now,” she says.
listing price | $1,385,000
listing agent | deni ryckman of dielmann sotheby’s international realty