Bay Area Sweet Digs

August 4, 2008

Mansion Monday: The Knole at Lauriston

irishflag Mansion Monday: The Knole at Lauriston I love it when estates have names, like today’s equestrian property in Portola Valley. The “Knole at Lauriston” is a secluded 8.57 acre property located at 5070 Alpine Road. Listed as an Irish Georgian home, the main residence is located 1.9 miles up a private drive, making it feel like an actual Irish country estate. The exterior of the home is made of basalt stone and has a slate roof.

The interior feels decidedly more modern, with a foyer of white and black tile and recessed lighting, a large remodeled kitchen, and a bright and airy solarium. Even the wine cellar is light and bright. No heavy wood paneling or large built-ins are evident. There is an office and a library, as well as 2 master suites plus 2 additional bedrooms and a total of 5.75 baths.

The grounds also have an Irish country estate aesthetic, with gravel courtyard and paths, trimmed hedges, and rustic stone fences. Also gracing the property is an updated 2/2 guest house, small caretaker’s quarters, and stables for the horses that you can ride in the neighborhood.

In the market 161 days, the Knole at Lauriston is listed at $8,395,000.

Recent Sweet Digs Posts:
Berkeley: Two Homes With a Mid-Mod Architectural Vibe
FSBO: New and Updated Marin Listings
Daly City: All That and a Condo Too
Recent Home Sales in Santa Clara
Home Staging: Can I Have Some of That Style Savviness Please?

Posted by susan.brady on August 4, 2008 8:46 AM | del.icio.us | Digg

  • Y'all crack me up with your own corrections! Gotta love it. I, too, thought it odd about that last sale price. Not sure what's up with that. Maybe a transfer into a trust? Inheritance? Refi? Given the property size and what's on it, the price does not feel inflated. In areas like this, I don't feel that appraisal websites are all that accurate. Not enough comps.

    It's the most $$ in PV, but nearby Woodside has much heftier price tags and both are great areas. Maybe MDA and I could go in halvsies on this one. I'd loooooove to live here.
  • Pop
    And now my own mea culpa. $8+mil is only (!) four times the '07 price, not eight. Need second cup of coffee.
  • Pop
    MD Account - Hah! THIS is why I love Redfin's blogs and forums... articulate readers/commentors who have a sense of personal responsibility about even their grammar. Thanks for a good laugh this morning.

    Re: The Knole, what's with the price? "Bought" (could have been a bank transfer) less than a year ago for less than $2mil, now up for 8x that, but doesn't appear or state that any improvements have been made since being built in '92, and internet appraisals coming in below $4mil? What am I not seeing that makes this worth anything near its asking?
  • MD Account
    Whoops. If I'm going to carp about spelling, it's probably better not to refer to more than one builder as "the builder's". Let's just change that to "the builders" and speak no more of it, shall we?
  • MDAccount
    OK --

    When they named this place, it had better have been for the specific house in England known as "The Knole"; otherwise, someone needs to buy the builder's a dictionary.

    Overall, however, this is an estate worthy of the name. Smaller house, much larger lot, and all well-designed. Hell, I'd be delighted to own the guesthouse, let alone the main digs.

    In the main house, the rooms are all of reasonable proportions and look comfortable. Of course, the fact that there's a library (with a fireplace!) won me over completely. My current library is a lot of overloaded Ikea bookshelves next to a heat register, which just doesn't have the same charm somehow.

    Anyone who wants to get me something for Christmas, well, this property would do nicely.
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