In north Stamford, Conn., near the New York border, this residence was designed to enjoy the soothing qualities of water; the house overlooks a private lake that is echoed by three man-made “ponds,” two for reflection and one for swimming. Asking $3.2 million, the 2.2-acre property is listed by Monica Webster at Douglas Elliman.
Designed by John Gillis and constructed between 2000 and 2003, the house slopes down toward the lake, organically integrated into the side of a hill. It was designed to expose the residence to the natural beauty of its setting.
Inspired by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, Gillis used simple and natural materials: rough-hewn Canadian stone, both inside and out, Finnish birch beams on the soaring ceilings, and copper shingles on the roof. Each room has a separate pyramidal roof, giving the effect of a “village” of rooms. The floors are rose limestone and cherry wood, and the windows, like the roof, are trimmed in copper.
The house is extremely spacious at 10,427 square feet. There are five bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms. The great room, with a 25-foot ceiling, includes a huge fireplace and a wall of windows, along with a door to the terrace and the oval-shaped pool. The kitchen is very contemporary, with cabinets made from the same Finnish birch as the ceiling beams.
Hallways off the great room lead to the home’s two wings. One wing houses the lake-view master bedroom, with a walk-in stone shower and sunken stone tub, as well as two more bedrooms, while the second wing contains the other two bedrooms. There’s also large office/library with another stone fireplace.
With nine-foot ceilings, the finished lower level boasts a gym, a media room, a rec room, and a 2,300-bottle wine cellar. Other nice features include an electrical grid under the driveway to melt snow — no more shoveling! — and a heated three-car garage with a Tesla charger.