Traditional in Virginia, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Oct 30th 2006 at 1:02PM

This Georgian manor house in Virginia Beach, Virginia sits at the end of a private road and is surrounded by Lake Lawson. The traditional home was originally built in the late 1940s and is a sprawling home that expands over 19,000 square feet with 11 bedrooms, large formal living and dining rooms and a huge master suite with a fireplace. Other details include a library ,wine cellar, billiard room, and a gourmet kitchen. The "carriage house: is a separate home with a full bar, large sitting area, commercial ice machine and one bedroom. One fabulous detail we don't often see in many houses is a large outdoor chess set. It is listed at $12.5 million. After the jump, England goes south.

Tags: estate of the day, real estate, virginia, virginia beach, VirginiaBeach

Filed under: Estates

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

rk Oct 30th 2006 1:10PM

chess anyone?

Spectacular Bid Oct 30th 2006 3:17PM

It screams 2006 spec McMansion to me in bland design.That front facade just doesn't look right with the windows being too small/narrow. The brick color isn't flattering and the rear facade is a total cluster of poor architecural design.

If it was errected in 1870 I could understand a rambling series of add-ons, but no execuse for a home built since 1940. For $12M + it just lacks grace externally.

Look at the brilliant Virginia output by architect William Lawrence Bottomley in the 1920's and 1930's. He'd laugh - quite rightly - at this poor execution.

Syd Oct 30th 2006 4:49PM

Gave me a little claustrophobia, just looking at it. Beautiful woodwork. That's about all I liked.

Kevin Oct 30th 2006 11:30PM

First of all, any house with an outdoor chess set in a beautiful garden next to a lake can't be criticized. The only improvement would be if the chess pieces were actual humans hired for it and whomever is rich enough to afford this house very well may be able to afford to do that.

To the guy that called it a mcmansion, come on. . .there is a level of architectural details and woodwork just not found on current construction. Yes, I'm seen more elaborate and breathtaking and I can see what you are saying about it perhaps not being totally cohesive. . .but I'd give my left arm to live in a house as nice as this one.

Spectacular Bid Oct 31st 2006 11:14AM

My comment on McMansion was in keeping with the exterior of the house. Yes, the interior has glimmers of it being regal with the linenfold paneling for example. Although relatively low ceilings detract quickly, the ceiling fan looks cheap and that 'master bedroom' would come in a distant second to a spec Howard Johnson basic suite.

For anything priced above $10M (or even $6M for that matter) any observer must adjust upwards expectations. At $2M it would be a fine house, but at 6 times that it misses the mark on far too many elements.

For pure comparison examine this house, also brick and in Virginia (Fauquier Co vs. VA Beach) with a similar price tag. Night and day with quality of design, materials, layout and giving any visitor the "oh, wow" impression upon arrival. http://www.allenrealestate.com/homes/canterbury%20revision.html

j1 Nov 6th 2006 11:28AM

I've never heard of a 2 million dollar 19,000 square foot house, much less in the 3rd most expensive housing state in the continental US! This however strikes me as an odd location for a large home in the state. I agree with you Spectacular Bid the Hunt Country home is a real mansion and makes this look like rubbish, size would be a good substitute for quality in S. California but not in that state.