Ethelwynde at 101 Yokun Avenue, Lenox, MA, is a bona fide estate, one of the last of these Gilded Age mansions built by prosperous families in the Berkshires that remains available as a private residence.
Its $5.9 million price tag is outside the affordable luxury segment, but there’s plenty we see here to inspire everyone: it’s clear that deliberate design and decorating do much for the appeal of this 11,700 square foot residence.
One consistent feature that stands out in every one of the twenty-some rooms is the thoughtful pairing of flooring materials and finishes with wall treatments and colors. In each case, there’s a remarkably consistent harmony of tone and warmth.
The current owners enhanced the structure’s inherent upscale grace with vintage and reclaimed furnishings, such as desks, chairs and lamps that had once adorned the most elegant spaces in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Boston.
While the main house is breathtaking, the nearby mid-century guest house that comes on the property is quite charming in its own right and makes for a cozy family home. Although it’s a very different style, it shares the mansion’s exquisite pairings of warm wood tones.
There’s a stateliness and grandeur to the landscaping of the lawn and gardens here. It’s a look that might be overwrought on a small urban lawn, but here appears satisfyingly appropriate to the scale of the surroundings. It’s a pleasant touch of cultivated order in the midst of a landscape of great natural beauty. This house also features a conservatory room, making it easy to enjoy plants indoors.
Situated on 31 acres of greenery, Ethelwynde is close to both natural and cultural amenities. To name a few, there’s hiking and outdoor recreation in the nearby hills, and Tanglewood (of classical music fame) is just down the street.
