image: side street (courtesy of house option E) this and all photos below found here.
When I win the lottery (PART ONE):
I like to punish myself you know, so every now and then I think about this question and what my response would be. My first item of business would be to go back to school. Since I've been accepted to grad. school in England but haven't been able to go because of the lack of monetary funding if I won the lottery my first step would be to buy a house there and move, right away!!!
Here's what I have in mind:
Option A: Low Moor - (roughly $7,000,000 for 16 bedrooms, 20 acres, a formal garden, stables, a separate cottage, groom's flats (that's where my future husband can live), a gym, library, great hall, and of course a gallery) not a bad price in fact.
Option B: Heaven in Harrogate - yes, as a matter of fact that IS where Yorkshire tea is made (roughly $5,000,000 for the 1850's vicarage set on about an acre of land, 4100 sq ft, 5 bedrooms and a house with adjoining workshop for home office, studio and extensive storage - not to mention, someone did an exceptional job at decorating the place!!!)
Option C: Half modern - oh no oh no oh no it has white marble radiant floors throughout!!!! design hyperventilation going on here!!!! I'm not going to blab on about this one anymore - the pictures speak for themselves, however I will mention that the price is a measly (insert sarcastic vibe and hand gesture here) $6,000,000.
Option D: Main Street in Harrogate - not bad, not bad, but I would DEFINITELY have to have a gardener!!! This house is circa 1724 and the furnishings are circa 1980 - ugh! I think I'll hire myself to deal with that though - we'll go with 70's David Hicks flair on this one. Another $6,000,000.
Option E: Impressive Indeed - selling for around $5,500,000 this perfect country house has 8,750 sq ft and is a bit closer to the University than some of the others so that's definitely a plus! It boast 12 bedrooms and the precious little name of "Cherry Hill" which I think means that it calls for some Cath Kidston style cherry decorations, don't you??? It also has 2 separate cottages and a market building which would be perfect for my little country store.
Option F: Pride and Prejudice for sure! Ok, now I've visited ALOT of country houses in this area and I'm telling you right now that the view from this house alone is worth $4,000,000. But read this description:
Cliff Lodge is a most impressive and important late Georgian house with magnificent grounds, breathtaking views and all the facilities and amenities of a traditional country house including extensive formal and informal gardens, a swimming pool and tennis court. A long and wide driveway leads to the property
which is discreetly set in wooded grounds. The driveway sweeps to the front of the house creating excellent first impressions through the pillared front door.
The accommodation of Cliff Lodge is luxuriously presented and arranged in a series of substantial well presented rooms. The hall and grand reception hall, with parquet floor and panelled walls create an impressive sense of arrival. The principal reception rooms include the drawing room, library and formal sitting room. Both the drawing room and the formal sitting room have south facing bay windows with superb views. The sitting room has double doors opening through the bay window and leading to a 23 ft by 16 ft south facing balcony. Decorative freezes and ceiling cornices, heavy panelled and pediment doors, magnificent bays and open fireplaces are all fine and typical features of these rooms.
Between the entrance hall and the breakfast kitchen is the cloakroom and access to lower ground floor. The lower ground floor provides extensive storage space and as well as the utility room, boiler room, workshop and a double garage. These rooms have a variety of potential uses including games rooms, offices or further domestic accommodation.
The dining room is a substantial room, also with attractive panelling, fireplace with attractive wooden surround and double doors which open conveniently to the breakfast kitchen.
The breakfast kitchen has an oil fired Aga and range of attractive antique pine base units beneath a teak surface, hand crafted matching high level pine cupboards incorporating aplate rack over a deep ware double sink and a window seat enjoying views of the front garden. Off the kitchen is a convenient and practical fully fitted second kitchen with a
commercial gas cooker and various fitted units. The sitting room or snug, rear hall, larder and morning room are arranged off an inner hall at the foot of the second staircase.
The accommodation on the first floor is arranged off a spacious landing with a magnificent glazed cupola above the staircase.
The bedroom accommodation comprises 8 luxurious bedroom suites, each with en suite facilities each providing a bath and a separate shower (bar bedroom 8 which has an ensuite shower room). The ensuite bathroom to bedroom 1 (see floor plan) has a door on to the landing creating a house bathroom when required.
Formal lawned gardens lie to the north of the house adjacent where the driveway circles around a lime tree adjacent to the tennis court. Various areas or “rooms” have been created
within the garden, using a series of terraces and strategic planting to the greatest of affect. The centre piece of the gardens is the spectacular box parterre to the south of the
house. A fountain perches at the foot of the garden between the parterres’ and provides an excellent vista from the principal reception rooms in the house. There is an Etruscan style
summerhouse and ornamental pond at the western end of the garden. The swimming pool is surrounded by a flag stone area and the complimentary buildings create a fabulous area for summer entertaining and fun.
The kitchen garden, bordered by high mellow red brick wall has also been divided into a series of garden rooms and there are further parterres, pergolas, a “sit-oot-erie” and Orangery.
A second double garage and oil tanks are discreetly located at the side of the house.
which is discreetly set in wooded grounds. The driveway sweeps to the front of the house creating excellent first impressions through the pillared front door.
The accommodation of Cliff Lodge is luxuriously presented and arranged in a series of substantial well presented rooms. The hall and grand reception hall, with parquet floor and panelled walls create an impressive sense of arrival. The principal reception rooms include the drawing room, library and formal sitting room. Both the drawing room and the formal sitting room have south facing bay windows with superb views. The sitting room has double doors opening through the bay window and leading to a 23 ft by 16 ft south facing balcony. Decorative freezes and ceiling cornices, heavy panelled and pediment doors, magnificent bays and open fireplaces are all fine and typical features of these rooms.
Between the entrance hall and the breakfast kitchen is the cloakroom and access to lower ground floor. The lower ground floor provides extensive storage space and as well as the utility room, boiler room, workshop and a double garage. These rooms have a variety of potential uses including games rooms, offices or further domestic accommodation.
The dining room is a substantial room, also with attractive panelling, fireplace with attractive wooden surround and double doors which open conveniently to the breakfast kitchen.
The breakfast kitchen has an oil fired Aga and range of attractive antique pine base units beneath a teak surface, hand crafted matching high level pine cupboards incorporating aplate rack over a deep ware double sink and a window seat enjoying views of the front garden. Off the kitchen is a convenient and practical fully fitted second kitchen with a
commercial gas cooker and various fitted units. The sitting room or snug, rear hall, larder and morning room are arranged off an inner hall at the foot of the second staircase.
The accommodation on the first floor is arranged off a spacious landing with a magnificent glazed cupola above the staircase.
The bedroom accommodation comprises 8 luxurious bedroom suites, each with en suite facilities each providing a bath and a separate shower (bar bedroom 8 which has an ensuite shower room). The ensuite bathroom to bedroom 1 (see floor plan) has a door on to the landing creating a house bathroom when required.
Formal lawned gardens lie to the north of the house adjacent where the driveway circles around a lime tree adjacent to the tennis court. Various areas or “rooms” have been created
within the garden, using a series of terraces and strategic planting to the greatest of affect. The centre piece of the gardens is the spectacular box parterre to the south of the
house. A fountain perches at the foot of the garden between the parterres’ and provides an excellent vista from the principal reception rooms in the house. There is an Etruscan style
summerhouse and ornamental pond at the western end of the garden. The swimming pool is surrounded by a flag stone area and the complimentary buildings create a fabulous area for summer entertaining and fun.
The kitchen garden, bordered by high mellow red brick wall has also been divided into a series of garden rooms and there are further parterres, pergolas, a “sit-oot-erie” and Orangery.
A second double garage and oil tanks are discreetly located at the side of the house.
Ok, so what did we learn from that kids???
a) The house has an AGA
b) All of you who want to come live with me can because all of the bedrooms have their own showers and toilets (not to mention there are 2 freaking kitchens) c) There are "rooms" to make out in encapsulated in the garden which means Daniel Craig and I can escape somewhere hidden whenever we want
d) Their are several parterre gardens, meaning I better get to work on my vegetable and herb growing - oh and I must learn how to pronounce the h in herbs so I can fit in with the locals.
All in all, the house is none too shabby I'd say
Option G: I'm always a sucker for a turrett! The pale blue walls in the "Heath" house truly are lovely and its certainly the most affordable of the bunch, at a teensy $4,000,000. It also boasts 5 bedrooms, 1 1/2 acres of enclosed gardens, a "grande reception hall", and a master suite comprimisin 4 rooms. I don't know though, its gonna be hard to compete with Option F - even if I do love a turrett!
So. . .what do you think? Comments please - which option should I snatch right up when I win the lottery next month?????
No comments:
Post a Comment