8555 Hillspring Drive, Lutherville.
Hot House: Zemlyn Porches 8 Beds/12 Baths. 11,437 Square Feet. 8 acres. Asking price: $3.55.million.
What: There are so many surprises secreted away at the end of the long driveways in Baltimore County. Houses you could never imagine, gardens bursting with flowers, families living the lush life! Zemlyn Porches is one of those, situated high on a ridge overlooking deep woods and into the Seminary Avenue corridor. The house was originally high Victorian built on old family land. It has since been remodeled several times to keep with the times. However, its best features remain.
As you sweep up the long and winding driveway, you are greeted by a lively sprawling yellow clapboard house with crisp black shutters. Entering the house, you can see all the way through the enfiladed doors to the conservatory and then out to the pool and patio.
The house abounds with space including a sitting room, sunroom, rose-wood paneled library, family room, and the usual living room, dining room and modernized kitchen. Many of the rooms have beautiful fireplaces and there are classic built-ins, including shell-topped shelving in the dining room.
The conservatory can also be used as the ballroom for the house, because who doesn’t want a house with a ballroom for all of those great parties you are going to throw. The conservatory leads to a large patio with a swimming pool.
The second floor is filled with a large primary bedroom suite with his-and-hers bathrooms and dressing rooms. Additionally, there are five more bedrooms and four baths, as well as closets, wide hallways and front and back staircases.
The top floor has additional beds and baths, which are smaller than those on the second floor, and an exercise room, plus attic storage space.
The eight-acre grounds include a seven-stall barn with a basketball court on the upper level. There is a two-bedroom tenant house with office space and a garage plus additional out-buildings contributing to the estate.
Of course, reflecting the name of Zemlyn Porches, the house has porches, patios and a sunroom.
Where: Zemlyn Porches is off of Seminary Avenue, closer to Falls Road. It’s convenient to the amenities at Mays Chapel, and to the country schools like St. Paul’s, Garrison Forest, Maryvale and McDonogh.
Final Appraisal: Zemlyn Porches was last sold in 1993, so this is its first time on the market in more than a generation. The family who buys this house will probably keep it for a generation as well. The listing for the house is here.
All photographs from the listing.
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