Just Listed: Georgian Mansion in … Rose Valley?
This grand estate perched high above Ridley Creek is a nonconformist in a community that's known for them.
No, this is not a misprint: this very traditional, very proper Neo-Georgian mansion is located not on the Main Line but in Rose Valley. Specifically, on a hilltop lot at 67 W. Rose Valley Rd., Rose Valley, Pa. 19082 | Bright MLS images via Keller Williams Philly
Rose Valley started out as a utopian Arts and Crafts Movement community around the turn of the 20th century. To this day, it’s known for its distinctive architecture, bosky environment and acceptance of those who march to the beat of their own drummer.
So what would someone do who wants to demonstrate to this crowd that they definitely march to the beat of their own drummer?
They build something like this Rose Valley Georgian manor house for sale.
Now, to be fair, not every house in Rose Valley was built in the Arts and Crafts style. There’s at least one handsome Colonial house dating to the late 1700s, and you can also find some newer neotraditional and Colonial Revival houses scattered about the borough.
But this grand Georgian mansion looks like it belongs in Villanova instead.
Which may make it just the mansion you were looking for, especially if you want the Villanova experience, but in a more forested setting and with less pretentious neighbors.
Actually, this recently built (2009) estate house outdoes most Main Line mansions in an area that counts: It’s loaded with goodies and has lots of space for relaxing, entertaining and even welcoming guests for an extended stay.
Great room
Living room
On its main floor you will find both a great room and a living room, both with fireplaces, of course. The great room occupies the far end of the wing to the right of the center entrance hall, and the living room is next to it, spanning the back of the house and connecting it to the kitchen and breakfast room.
Breakfast room
Kitchen
The sunny breakfast room and a professional-quality kitchen with plenty of storage and workspace share an expansive, light-filled space in the wing to the left of the entrance hall.
Dining room
In between this combination and the foyer in the front of the house lies the formal dining room.
Study
You will also find two work-from-home spaces on the main level. One is a study with dark wood wainscoting and a coffered ceiling immediately to the right of the front door.
Home office
The other is a brighter home office with floral wallpaper, located off the kitchen.
Rear deck
And behind everything is a deck that spans the rear of the house and looks out over the Ridley Creek valley.
Closet and dressing room
The second floor contains all five of this house’s bedrooms. The primary bedroom has a balcony that also looks out over that valley, a fireplace, and a walk-in closet that’s bigger than many bedrooms.
Primary bathroom
Its bathroom is just as sumptuous, with heated floors, dual vanities, a jetted soaking tub, a walk-in shower and dual toilet closets.
In-law apartment
One of the five bedrooms is contained in an in-law apartment with its own kitchen at the west end of the floor.
Game room
Game room basketball court
The indoor fun brackets the main and second floors. Up above, a full-floor game room contains a wet bar and a basketball court.
Observatory
A spiral staircase leads up from it to an observatory in the cupola. It also has a balcony for a panoramic outdoor view.
Multipurpose room
Bar in multipurpose room
Down below, you’ll find a gym, a sauna and a large multipurpose room that includes a gorgeous fully-equipped bar. The bar has a full-sized refrigerator and microwave, making it ready to host just about any party.
Wine cellar
Next to it is a temperature-controlled wine cellar. And behind this combine is a patio beneath the deck that opens onto the backyard high above Ridley Creek.
And since all this is located in Rose Valley, that means there are some very un-Main-Line-ish attractions close at hand. These include Hedgerow Theater, the Old Mill and Thunderbird Lodge. If you feel you need a dose of urbanity, you’ll find you can get it in small (Swarthmore), medium (Media) and extra-large (Philadelphia), all of which lie on the same SEPTA Regional Rail line that serves Rose Valley. (Or you can drive if you must: this Rose Valley Georgian manor house for sale also has a four-car attached garage.)
So if you consider yourself one of those unconventional types, you can do something really daring by buying this 3.7-acre chunk of the Main Line that landed in central Delaware County’s bohemian belt and moving to Villanova without moving to Villanova.
THE FINE PRINT
BEDS: 5
BATHS: 7 full, 2 half
SQUARE FEET: 13,566
SALE PRICE: $2,200,000
67 W. Rose Valley Rd., Rose Valley, Pa. 19086 [Mike McCann | McCann Team | Keller Williams Philly]
