McLean, Va., household with back garden oasis lists for $3.5 million

The property, which he calls a “cottage in the woods,” was created in 1963 but has been expanded about the decades. The gabled roofs give it a storybook appearance.

5 decades soon after shopping for the assets, Leo and his spouse, Debbie, undertook a renovation of the household and gardens. They employed McHale Landscape Structure for the exterior and Akseizer Style Team for the interior.

“What’s pleasant is when you have people that are spectacular but you can also collaborate with,” Debbie stated.

A lot of the exterior renovation involved uncovering and refreshing. Azaleas wrapped all over the swimming pool, concealing it. Significant oaks and poplars ringed the assets, obscuring a look at of the property.

“You couldn’t see the character of the residence mainly because there ended up so many trees in entrance,” Leo said.

Ten significant trees were removed. The azaleas and other crops were being transplanted to other sections of the back garden. The English gardens were laid out in a far more formal arrangement. Debbie reported only about 40 to 45 p.c of the plants are new.

The biggest problem was “trying to marry the outdated with the new,” Anthony Cusat, who is a senior landscape architect with McHale and led the renovation, explained to Home & Structure journal. McHale been given an award of difference for the undertaking in 2019 from the Landscape Contractors Affiliation of Maryland, D.C. and Virginia.

With plants staggered to bloom at diverse periods, the Brookses have an ever-shifting landscape as nicely as a secluded oasis.

“It’s extremely personal,” Debbie said. “Wherever we could see an adjacent rooftop, we added yet another tree.”

McHale also place a fire in a gazebo on the grounds, created a huge courtyard with a fountain on the aspect of the house, and established what Leo phone calls his “man cave” — an outdoor kitchen with a grill, fridge, television and large-leading seating.

Akseizer Style and design Group assisted renovate the kitchen area and the owner’s suite. The owner’s bed room has a fireplace and a 15-foot vaulted ceiling with wood trusses. Glass double doorways open to a protected deck with automated screens. The bathroom is completed in a design Debbie phone calls “British official.” It has a heated flooring, double vainness, separate shower and soaking tub, a fire, and a television. Significant dressing locations have crafted-in shelving and cabinetry.

The four-bed room, four-toilet, 5,000-square-foot house on just less than an acre is detailed at $3.5 million.

858 Canal Dr., McLean, Va.

• Bedrooms/loos: 4/4
• Approximate square-footage: 5,000
• Large amount dimensions: .92 acre
• Features: The 1963 residence has been expanded above the decades. The existing owners renovated the exterior and inside, employing McHale Landscape Style and design and Akseizer Design Group. The grounds include things like English gardens, a courtyard, heated swimming pool and spa, an out of doors kitchen, and a gazebo with a fire. The two-degree house has four fireplaces. The 3-vehicle garage is connected.
• Listing agent: W. Ted Gossett and Joe Kotula, Washington High-quality Homes