There’s nothing quite like being surrounded by water — or knowing your home is where New Englanders used to socialize.
When Larry Genovesi set out to build a home on Massachusetts’ Little Harbor, he didn’t realize he would end up saving a piece of history in the process.
It started as a typical day in 2000. He was strolling through Cohasset, a small seaside town of about 8,000, when a tiny, 1920s Japanese tea house caught his eye. The view of the harbor — and the Atlantic Ocean in the distance — was a huge selling point; the ability to fish just beyond the doorstep was another.
Genovesi bought the place on a whim, becoming the third known owner of the property. Next on his list: convincing his wife to live in 550 square feet.
“We ended up living there for eight years. I think it’s a testimony to a great marriage if you can live with your wife in 550 square feet,” Genovesi joked. “But it was interesting and it helped us understand the property — the seasons and all that. I’ve always been a fan of Japanese architecture.”
The couple used that inspiration when they set out to design a larger, earth-friendly house in the same spot. Genovesi wanted to save as much of the existing structure as possible while immersing something modern in the lush landscape.
The result is a nearly 4,000-square-foot home, surrounded by the harbor on three sides. Each window in the 3-bedroom, 4-bathroom home offers a view of trees or water.
Of note, a soaking tub in the master bathroom is positioned to take in views stretching to the Atlantic Ocean.
“It’s a great feature — probably my wife’s favorite,” Genovesi said. “It’s a calm place to soak and meditate.”
The home has other zen features, too, including a koi pond and waterfall. A rooftop deck allows for unobstructed views of the stars. On cooler nights, the owners will cozy up near a firepit at what they’ve nicknamed “sunset point.”
Added bonuses: the ability to kayak and canoe from the house, regular visits from deer, and blue herons and fruit trees on your front doorstep.
Glass panels in the floor of the dining room honor the surrounding landscape, too, allowing natural light to flood the lower level. There is a kitchenette, a bathroom and a game room there.
The details are decidedly modern for a home steeped in history. Builders saved nearly 70 percent of the original house, which served as social gathering spot for a well-known New England family.
Workers salvaged three of the four original stone walls, each about two feet thick. They added a steel structure for support and salvaged some of the old-growth Douglas Fir, which Genovesi transformed into the dining table.
The family has put the home on the market as they search for another adventure — potentially starting an agricultural school to inspire the next generation of farmers.
“It’s very much a place where if you live there, you live in the land. I think the person who buys this needs to appreciate that fact,” he said. “It isn’t one of those big massive houses that you live inside. You really live outside all year-round.”
The home is listed for $4.995 million by Gail Petersen Bell of Home Center Sotheby’s International.
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Source: zillow.com