Offered for the first time, a truly one-of-a kind Highland Park residence built on a bridge spanning a ravine, an architectural rarity that offers unbeatable in-town convenience and blends the feel of a secluded country lodge with unmatched architectural finishes. A tree-shaded drive leads to a walled parking court with an Italianate fountain and two garage structures that form a gatehouse. A covered walkway with a copula connects to the home and encloses a tranquil Chinese rock garden with a terrace. Multiple other outdoor spaces surround the property: ravine-view terraces, a hammock terrace, an iron gazebo with a fountain, and a series of 4 formal box-trimmed, garden "rooms" for dining, lounging and entertaining adjacent to fountains. Inside the home unfolds through beautifully crafted rooms with built-ins, hidden doors, specialty storage, and 4 wood-burning fireplaces. The flagstone-paved reception room offers a concealed coat closet and boot bench and leads to a private front study ideal for working or meeting guests. The dramatic, fully paneled great room features a huge limestone fireplace, beamed ceiling, ravine views, and illuminated display cabinetry. A paneled vestibule (with a hidden archive/file room) leads to a Jefferson-inspired library with a fireplace, extensive shelving, and a seven-sided dining bay overlooking the ravine. A hidden elevator connects the Great Room with the second floor. A formal parlor room, built for art display, has a 16-foot high dome. From this room, a stair leads down to a lower-level lounge that works as a TV room, 2nd study, or playroom. This level also has a plate pantry and a small, vented exercise room. Back upstairs, a guest suite with a private terrace sits off the main hall, which also provides access to a walk-in pantry, powder room, and laundry. This main hall leads to the showstopping dining room, an amazing space featuring a soaring illuminated double dome, Corinthian columns, a fireplace, and French doors to the garden terraces. The well-equipped kitchen includes Miele and Sub-Zero appliances, abundant storage, and a built-in breakfast nook. The separate family wing has two rooms for children with built-ins and a shared bath. A spiral stair leads to the secluded primary suite: a paneled bedroom with fireplace and a large window overlooking the ravine with a window seat, a bright bathroom, a book-room, a walk-in closet, a private breakfast kitchen, a four-season "treehouse" porch, an artist-muraled sitting room, hallways with illuminated display cabinetry, and a Japanese reading room/study. Lovingly designed and expanded over 48 years, the home is elegant yet informal and playful, intimate yet ideal for entertaining: a home filled with architectural surprises meant to be lived in privately but also enjoyed with guests. Tucked into a wooded setting yet steps from downtown, Metra, the public library, Sunset Foods, parks, and neighborhood walk-to schools. This architecturally unique home offers exceptional privacy, character, architectural polish, and gracious livability.
