The orchid symbolizes more than just a beautiful blooming flower that appears to be floating on air. Since ancient times, this lovely blossom has been known to represent love, beauty, refinement,charm and more—all the qualities that comprise this charismatic contemporary home in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Boasting an indoor planting room with two sides of glass, a sink and growing benches, this unique residence currently houses up to 50 species of plants and hybrid orchids in its unique space. The high-tech room features proper lighting and humidity control, promoting growth of blooms throughout the year. Growing and blooming now are Phalaenopsis (Moth orchids), Paphiopedium (Slipper orchids), Oncidiums (Dancing Lady), Cymbidiums, Cattleyas and many other varieties.
The current homeowner is a member of the Connecticut Orchid Society, and has received various awards judged by the American Orchid Society for Vanda “Pachara Delight,” Oncidium “Mendenhall Hildos” and other varieties. “Having this room to grow these flowers not only allows their magnificence to continuously be on display all year long throughout the house, but also provides quite the conversation starter when used as centerpieces for dinner parties,” said Don Shannehan, an agent from our Essex brokerage who is co-listing the property with his wife, Kathy Shannehan, for $1,395,000.
To accompany such stunning brilliance, the three-bedroom home itself offers exquisite details that have the power to turn heads as well, with 16-foot, soaring cathedral ceilings in its foyer, cherry hardwood floors throughout the entire first level, as well as a fully equipped, custom kitchen and brilliant, light-filled formal dining room. The residence additionally contains a living room complete with a cozy wood-burning fireplace, built-in cabinets, custom moldings and elegant glass doors that open to a covered portion of the home’s deck, which looks out over the property’s nearly two acres of spectacular views. The family room also embraces this natural beauty of the great outdoors with a strategically placed wall of glass overlooking endless vistas of the Connecticut River, Essex Harbor, Old Lyme’s rolling hills and beyond.
As a plant-friendly home that clearly embraces boundless natural beauty, it’s not surprising that the estate’s grounds include perennial gardens of trees and herbaceous peonies, and large varieties of iris, lilies and hydrangeas, all melded with old stone walls and a terraced yard.
For more information on the property, located at 13 Meetinghouse Lane, please visit our website here.
