Jawdropper of the Week: A Hilltop Retreat in Copesville

Bucolic views, Adirondack-inspired design and distinctive features make this home surrounded by a nature preserve spectacular in all four seasons. But it's especially gorgeous in the fall.

895 Copes Ln., West Chester, Pa. 19380 | TREND images via RE/MAX Town & Country

895 Copes Ln., West Chester, Pa. 19380 | TREND images via RE/MAX Town & Country

Have you ever imagined driving through the Adirondack Mountains on a gorgeous fall day? The crisp autumn air that blows your hair back while the smell of leaves and late fall fires envelop your senses. Yellow, orange and red leaves are cast up in the air as you drive on, and the fall scenery has you thinking you’ve landed on a movie set. Finally, you arrive at your destination: an astoundingly stunning Adirondack Shingle Style home perched on a hilltop just outside the country crossroads of Copesville, a few miles west of West Chester.

Inspired by memories of their Adirondack vacations, the owners of this home commissioned Archer and Buchanan Architects to recreate the experience where they lived, thus producing a truly exceptional home with elements you can’t find anywhere else.

At the end of the driveway that climbs the hill, you’ll notice the home has two structures connected by a covered outside passage. On the left is a large three-car garage. The two finished rooms and a full bath above the garage can be used as a guest suite, office space, or simply another place to relax and enjoy your bird’s eye view.

A slate pathway on the right leads you to the entrance of the home. Over the front door is a stained-glass window depicting a tree, signifying that nature is all around us. Once you step into the foyer, you’ll notice the Arts and Crafts style of the interior. Immedieately beyond the foyer with its vaulted ceiling is the brightly painted yet cozy living room. From the gas fireplace to the crown molding and coffered ceiling, the room’s distinctive millwork gives it unparalleled character. Hardwood floors and a curved wall of tinted windows overlooking the surroundings add to the room’s early-20th-century-inspired charm.

To the left of the living room and foyer are the kitchen, butler’s pantry, and dining room.  A wide archway connects the living room with the kitchen, making these main living spaces feel more open. The kitchen boasts a remarkable oiled hickory island, cherry cabinetry with soapstone and granite counters, dual sinks and Bosch, Dacor, Sub-Zero and Thermador appliances. A breakfast area sits next to the French doors that lead to a fabulous screened porch and south-facing terrace that offer a spectacular view.

Back inside, after passing through the butler’s pantry from the kitchen, you’ll find the dining room. In all of the homes we’ve seen, we’ve never come across as distinctive a storage option as the one in this dining room: Built-in china closets flank either side of the dining area, while a built-in bar with a Marvel wine fridge preserves your best selections for a meal or party, and French doors lead to a front garden bordered by a handsome stone fence.

On the other side of the living room, the wood-paneled library, with its wood-burning fireplace and reclaimed wood shelving, provides the perfect space to curl up with a good book.

The French doors in the library open onto a hallway that leads from the foyer to the master suite. Built-in bookshelves, large windows, and a sitting area make the master bedroom a truly regal space. French pocket doors slide open to reveal a sun-filled sleeping porch and stairs to an enclosed outdoor shower. This suite also includes a feature rarely found in master suites: separate his-and-hers bathrooms, complete with radiant heated floors. Hers contains a soaking tub, and there’s an oversized shower, heated mirror and towel bars in His. (Wow.)

Upstairs, above the library and master suite via a staircase next to the front door, you’ll find a home office and two carpeted guest bedrooms with en-suite baths, with large sunny windows, a gigantic walk-in cedar closet and plenty of storage in the adjacent attic. Downstairs, a basement with open views and arched double door offers plenty of space for turning this area into your creative outlet.

Outside, a pool and patio overlook the expansive property, with views from every side of your outdoor arena.As the 500-acre-plus Stroud’s Preserve, which surrounds this home, is preserved in perpetuity by the Natural Lands Trust, your sweeping country vistas will never change. You’ll feel that you’ve been transported to a remote mountaintop retreat, but in fact, you’re just a 40-minute drive to the city.

From enjoying crackling fires in the living room or library while watching the leaves fade, to cooking up a fabulous meal in your Arts and Crafts designer kitchen, to enjoying the countryside views from your porches and terraces, you’re guaranteed to truly fall in love with this home.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS:  3

BATHS: 6

SQUARE FEET: 4,830

PRICE: $2,250,000

895 Copes Ln., West Chester, PA 19380 [ Barbara McClure | Remax Town and Country]