Live like a Contessa only 60 miles from New York City. Located in the village of Old Field on Long Island’s North Shore, Villa della Pace was designed in the Italian Renaissance style by New York-based architect Henry Corse, Jr. In addition to the masterfully restored five-bedroom mansion designed by Interior Marketing Group, the four-and-a-half-acre waterfront property includes a two-bedroom guest house, a one-bedroom caretaker’s cottage, and a cabana that overlooks a heated swimming pool and fountains.
“To infuse a transitional style throughout this grand home,” says IMG designer Jaclyn Murawski, “we incorporated contemporary art that seamlessly blends an updated aesthetic with a classic architectural charm reminiscent of an Italian villa. In pursuit of comfort and warmth, we carefully selected large-scale furniture pieces and added cozy layers, crafting an environment that invites relaxation and contentment.”
The home, which was designed in 1917 for scientist Frederick L. Steenken by New York-based architect Henry Corse, Jr., has had a storied history of ownership. Industrialist Frederick W. Gurney purchased the property from its original owners as a summer residence. His son, John, was a principal artist of the Metropolitan Opera in the 1930s and 1940s and would perform to friends and family in the beamed great room. The estate was known as Villa del Canto, or House of Song.
In 1953, the sprawling estate became a retreat for the Pallottine Sisters of the Catholic Apostolate who renamed it Maryville Convent, a retreat for nuns, and converted the former concert hall into a chapel.
Locals observed the sisters in conservative swimsuits along the home’s private and secluded beach on Long Island Sound. It became a private residence again in 1973 and both the home and formal gardens were meticulously renovated in 2010 by the current owners.
As listing agent Valerie Briston of Daniel Gale Sotheby’s explains, “It is a very special piece of property which is private and peaceful. It is hard to put into words how amazing the property is. You must see it to understand its many spectacular qualities fully.”
This one-of-a-kind property is listed for $7.75 million. Click here for more details.
Photography courtesy of Interior Marketing Group.
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