4001 Montchanin Rd, Wilmington, DE 19807

Surrounded by magnificent trees, this gracious old mansion dominates a gently sloping hillside and overlooks a scene of meadows crossed by a quiet stream. The mellow tailored stone adds a very special stateliness to this home. Past and present owners have employed architects and decorators to research the history of this house, built in 1809, and charged them to keep all the authenticity of the old yet build it into the beauty and comfort that distinguishes it today. One enters the home through a fine doorway to a hall which lends major special interest to the first floor. The walls are covered by Chinese foil tea papers over which a tracery of delicate trees and birds have been hand-painted. The design taken from a wall covering made in 1740 for a home in Derbyshire, England, is show in an antique document now in the Governor s Mansion in Williamsburg, Virginia. The living room, three steps down from the hall, features a fireplace with a green antique marble and lovely wainscoting with details carefully planned such as the completely concealed heating vents. A roofed and glassed sunroom separated from the living room makes a pleasant transition from the living space to garden and greenhouse. The value and importance of high quality craftsmanship and appointments is evident throughout the dining room with its soft paneling and west wall featuring twin shell cupboards and an elaborate cornice of 18th century molding and dentils. This room also opens through French doors to a large flagstone terrace surrounded by lovely landscaping and shaded by a retractable awning. The paneling and shell motif is carried throughout the first floor into the family room which is lined with adjustable bookshelves. A shell niche and a fireplace add interest to this cozy and comfortable room. The spacious 27 x20 kitchen is composed a cozy breakfast area, large center island, 6-burner gas stove, double wall ovens, ice maker, 2nd freezer, and a wine fridge makes cooking and entertaining a breeze. A laundry room and linen storage hall complete the service portion of the house. The master bedroom suite is one entire end of the house consisting of a 28 x16 bedroom with its adjoining dressing room, two large his-and-hers closets, and a beautifully appointed bath. The dressing room has a quaint corner fireplace with an unusual back of brick in a herringbone pattern. The abundant closets are skillfully designed with plenty of storage and easy access. A small balcony reached from the bedroom by French doors overlooks the rolling hills and meadow. Down the hall from the master suite is a cheerful bedroom featuring a large ensuite bath. Also on this floor is a guest wing which is entered through a study. Adjacent to the study are two connecting bedrooms and a full bath. Throughout this suite are cupboards, bookshelves and generously sized closets. The third floor is divided into two completely separate sections, reached by individual staircases. The west suite has two bedrooms and a full bath. The east section is one very large room and a full bath - ideal for a home gym, studio or home office. The detached four-car garage has ample space for automobiles, gardening tools, lawn equipment, and storage. The bonus is the attached, quaint guest cottage. One bedroom with an updated kitchen and full bath, laundry room, and living room with access to a private deck.