Main Line Special: The Gilded Age Comes to Life in Bryn Mawr

1131 Green Valley Rd., Bryn Mawr, Pa. 19010 | TREND images via BHHS Fox & Roach

“Can’t repeat the past?…Why, of course you can!”

It’s hard not to imagine Jay Gatsby, tragic hero of The Great Gatsby, bellowing this in the doorway of “La Lanterne,” as this home is properly called. In fact, many aspects of this home bring to fruition our idea of how Gatsby would have lived had he been real. From the long tree-lined driveway to the gilded and over-the-top interior to the perfectly manicured tennis courts and gardens that dot the property, it’s quite easy to say Mr. Gatsby would’ve been in his proverbial glory.

Built in the style of a French manor, La Lanterne, set back on a private drive in Bryn Mawr, offers a heaping helping of the lavish life of luxury, hosted by three floors of beautifully finished and impeccably designed rooms fit for those with discerning tastes.

As your car pulls through the gated entryway down the tree-lined driveway with manicured lawns on either side, you’re greeted by a courtyard and the massive entrance into this 1940’s mansion. A grand foyer with a towering staircase and Orchard stone floors welcomes you into this home. To your left, you’ll find an elegant hallway filled with paintings that leads you straight to the den, a fabulously elegant room with a built-in bar, built-in bookshelves, and green-painted wood paneling throughout, the linchpin of this home’s informal side.

On one side of the den is a spacious and beautifully outfitted game room. On the other is the home’s informal living room, ringed by floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors that open up into the formal living room. This room boasts floor-to-ceiling French doors that open onto the back yard, a fireplace and lots of gilded trim and crown moldings. Beyond the formal living room, the dining room is no less opulent with its fireplace with sculpted mantle, large French-door windows and gilded chandelier.

The wing of the home that extends around the forecourt from the dining room contains a charming and casual breakfast/family room and a totally up-to-date kitchen in the French country style.

Up the grand staircase, on the second floor, you will find six beautifully decorated bedrooms with extra-large windows that let in lots of light. There’s also a home office the likes of which we’ve never seen anywhere else: a domed room with an outdoor-garden mural on its walls and elegant built-in desks, closets and drawer units all around the periphery.

Outside, you’ll find an incredible space for doing anything from playing tennis to gardening to just lying in the sun, enjoying the outstanding scenery. A gazebo and koi pond add style to the side garden and bring a peacefulness to the property. And if you’re worried you might end up repeating Gatsby’s fate, you’re lucky this home doesn’t come with a pool.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 7

BATHS: 8 full, 3 half

SQUARE FEET: 14,753

PRICE: $4,999,000

1131 Green Valley Rd Bryn Mawr, Pa 19010 [Lavinia Smerconish | BHHS Fox & Roach]