Farmhouse Friday: Recycling History in Landenberg
760 Chambers Rock Rd., Landerberg, Pa. 19350 | Images from Brandywine Fine Properties Sotheby’s International Realty, via TREND where indicated
What you see above is the inside of a barn that dates to before the Civil War. It was part of a 10-acre Chester County farm with a farmhouse whose history stretched back even further, to the 1700s. Developer Reid Rowlands toured the farm in 2000 with an eye on buying it for his residence, but he loved the ramshackle barn so much, he decided to buy just it instead and spent the next three years indulging his passion for woodworking and rebuilding it into a one-of-a-kind residence. (You can see pictures of the transformation here.) For the past 13 years, he has called this 4.9-acre plot of land next to the White Clay State Park and Preserve home.
Lucky you. You now have a chance to make this luxurious yet rustic country home your own. And Rowlands even left you some opportunities to let your own inner craftsman run free.
This is one of those homes to which the overused word “unique” truly applies. It’s filled with original details and modern comforts that combine to make a residence like no other, and it’s eco-friendly to boot.
Throughout this home, you’ll see the original oak posts and beams exposed, and the first and second floors also feature beautiful reclaimed wide-plank heart pine floors. The stonework around the front entrance is original, and the doors inside were salvaged from a 150-year-old monastery in Baltimore.
The open-plan main floor includes a soaring two-story-high main living area, a top-flight kitchen and a comfortable family room. On the south side of the main floor is a huge deck overlooking the pool and the White Clay preserve.
Upstairs, the west-side bedrooms have their own soaring ceilings ranging from 25 to 45 feet in height. A third bedroom occupies the original hayloft, and the master bedroom includes its own fireplace, a sitting area and loads of closet space. The master bath was updated last year with top-of-the-line fixtures and awaits your choice of tile for the finishing touch. A 20- by 40-foot room on the upper level has its own spiral staircase leading to the family room below and can be configured for any one of a number of different uses. There’s also a full finished walkout basement that can be used for recreation, relaxation or storage.
A home with this much volume would ordinarily cost an arm and a leg to heat and cool, but this home’s eco-friendly features cut that cost significantly. Energy-efficient windows, spray foam insulation and a five-kilowatt solar panel installation on the roof all combine to cut your electric bill to about $200 to $300 a month. Two 5000-gallon underground propane tanks supply the fuel for the radiant floor heating system. And should the power go out, you have a backup generator that can power the entire house discreetly tucked away in the side yard.
Nature abounds around you thanks to both the White Clay preserve and nearby Fair Hill, both of which offer plenty of active recreation options from horseback riding to fly fishing to hiking and more. If you work in Newark or Wilmington, this is a perfect country retreat, and it’s also close to Kennett Square and Hockessin.
THE FINE PRINT
BEDS: 5
BATHS: 3 full, 2 partial
SQUARE FEET: 7,327
SALE PRICE: $1,495,000
OTHER STUFF: This home is also fully sprinklered and has a monitored home security system. While the photos were taken in winter, you should get an idea just how green your surroundings will be this time of year.
760 Chambers Rock Rd., Landenberg, Pa. 19350 [Laird Bunch and Jack Clough | Brandywine Fine Properties Sotheby’s International Realty]
