The nuts and bolts
8 bedrooms
8.5 bathrooms
8,500 square feet
4 acres
House proud
Set within East Hampton’s The Grace Estate nature preserve, this estate home, built in 2000 and named “Dancing Oaks,” recalls family chateaus in the French countryside. The larger estate surrounding the home includes 500 acres of protected beachfront, upland forest and tidal and freshwater wetlands.
What’s the plan?
The home is entered through a large foyer that leads to the open-format great room, which combined, offers 865 square feet. Left of the foyer is a sitting room and the wing on that side of the home is dedicated to a 421-square-foot primary bedroom suite that includes an extra flexible room and large walk-in closet. The bathroom features a hot tub and a double shower stall with six shower heads. The other wing includes the kitchen and breakfast nook, a screened-in porch, a full bathroom and a 488-square-foot family room.
The second floor includes seven bedrooms—two with balconies and one has a separate alcove sitting area. The arrangement of three of the bedrooms and a full bath offers private accommodations as a suite. The 607-square-foot family room on the landing features built-in bookcases flanking a wood-burning fireplace. The lower level has been finished to accommodate a full bathroom, two recreation rooms/screening room, wine cellar and offers ample storage.
“The compound is very much a multigenerational estate and the floor plan is very much set up for this,” says Catherine Debackere, who is representing the listing for Sotheby’s International Realty, Bridgehampton Brokerage. “The kids grew up there, and now the grandchildren are running around.” The home comes with star provenance, owned by Broadway producer couple Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley.
What’s cooking?
The 340-square-foot French-country-style chef’s kitchen includes a Viking stove, a wine fridge, cabinets topped with quartz and a butler’s pantry. A center island includes a convenience sink and seats three. The separate breakfast nook offers 242 square feet of casual dining.
What else?
This lot was part of a 1985 initiative by the town of East Hampton to purchase the original 600-acre estate, protect 500 acres as a nature preserve, and offer 30 parcels on the remaining 100 acres for private, single-family home construction. The goal was to preserve the area as a whole and prevent large, commercial development.
Amenities and more
- Hartru tennis court
- Heated gunite pool and spa
- Two separate poolside guest cottages
- Outdoor shower
- Interior fireplaces
One cool thing
Each of the two poolside cottages offer a recreation or sitting room and a full bathroom. The swimming pool has been designed with a natural rock border to look like a pond in situ.
Agent’s callout
“You don’t feel like in your typical Hamptons house,” says Debackere. “This home is so well thought out in layout with so many private areas. It’s gracious and very special because of the nature preserve, the park-like grounds and the proximity to a beautiful bay beach.”
Location, location, location
This estate home is 6.3 miles from the center of East Hampton, less than a mile from Cedar Point County Park; 3.7 from Northwest Harbor County Park; and 2.7 miles from Sammy’s Beach. Several cultural points are nearby, including the Arts Center at Duck Creek Farm, the Pollock-Krasner House and LongHouse Reserve.
Details
The home at 1 Terry’s Trail lists for $12,000,000 and the details can be seen here.
