6 minute read
Refined Living on The Line
WRITTEN BY MARLAINE PEACHEY PHOTOS BY KIKI RANDON
The Line offers sophisticated, comfortable living and entertaining, while celebrating rich heritage and natural splendor.
Today in St. Tammany Parish, new developments abound, relocating young and old from every point of the compass to share the safety of our community and the quality of life we cherish. Years ago, one such couple, Dennis and Blanche McCloskey, moved to Covington; however, city life wasn’t their style, their hearts yearned for verdant country landscape. They loved to ride horses and roam among the tung trees that surrounded the small village of Folsom. Providentially, their relatives owned acres of land on a country estate, which they used for respite during the summer months.
The McCloskey’s felt it was the perfect place to begin their family and purchased the property from their relatives. They moved into the summer home and fell in love with the surrounding scenery. As years went by, with the birth of their daughters, they began to add on, renovate and remodel. But in time, they decided it was more prudent to build their dream home and chose the sprawling 22.76 acres they had used as a horse pasture.
As soon as the plans were drawn and thoughtfully designed for a three-story home, they embarked on a fun and thrilling project of discovery, adding character and a sense of history by seeking high quality, old construction material noted for its elegant appearance and durability to provide an exceptional home experience. They wanted to convey the theme of Old English country charm for the interior spaces, while inviting southern hospitality with an Acadian façade complete with a large porch and cypress shutters overlooking the mature azaleas and camelias that graced the front yard.
The home was everything they had wished for. As the front door opens, one step inside envelopes you into a realm of warmth and cordiality that is totally tangible. The foyer floor was constructed with wide planks of heart pine taken from the warehouse district of old New Orleans where many commodities were collected from the port in the early 19th century.
Immediately eye-catching is the stained staircase banister leading upstairs which was purchased from an antique mansion in the French Quarter. Off the foyer to the left and right are spacious living and dining rooms, also floored with the same heart of pine. Farther down the hall, a few steps down lead you into an immense den, revealing spectacular beams, supported strongly by metal trusses, rising to the top of the vaulted ceiling. The oversized room is simply breathtaking and imbues a sense of magnificence. The same heart of pine was used for the mantel over the fireplace, which displays an extra wide hearth.
The den paneling is solid wood acquired from St. Louis. The red bricks adorning the floors in the den, kitchen and breakfast areas are reclaimed from a 100-year-old hotel in Jackson, Mississippi, which probably stood either during or immediately following the Civil War when the Confederates prepared for the battle in Vicksburg. The huge kitchen boasts two stovetops, a must, since they both loved to cook. There is also a hidden wet bar tucked behind folding doors, which match the kitchen cabinets made from 150-yearold cypress. The chandelier over the breakfast area was designed by Julie Neil of New Orleans, known for creating custom lighting that gives birth to exquisite, historic and unique picturesque architecture.
Off to the left of the foyer is the master suite, complete with his and her bathrooms finished with marble floors. All in all, the home boasts five bedrooms, five bathrooms and two powder rooms. Four of the bedrooms are on the second floor. On the third, there is an office and access to a spacious walk-in attic extending to the metal roof.
The entire home provides a pleasurable feel of comfort and serenity. Storage abounds and all rooms have high ceilings with light filtering in from broad windows and skylights, drawing your attention to the view of the outside courtyard and patio. The same reclaimed bricks line the patio and cover a part of the exterior of the home as well as a mounted fountain along the brick wall of the courtyard. A wonderful old ship’s bell is erected on the patio that has a story all its own.
This beautiful home consciously embraces its outdoor setting. From the yard, your eyes can feast on the majestic oaks and lush, gorgeous landscape. Not one but two ponds are home to a large number of Canadian geese, fish and wildlife.
Adding to the historicity is a marker on the front walk, indicating the parish line of Washington and St. Tammany. History tells us that in 1921, Act 124 established a dividing line between the parishes in Section 47, Township 4 South, Range 12 East. Thus, the McCloskey’s decided to name their home “The Line.” The front gate is in St. Tammany, but the house actually sits in Washington Parish.
The Line offers sophisticated, comfortable living and entertaining, while celebrating rich heritage and natural splendor. It imparts a truly unique, and timeless living experience.
For more information on continuing the legacy of The Line, contact Puddy Robinson, REALTOR, at 985-630-6201 or puddy.robinson@ sothebysrealty.com.
