On the Market: A Dreamy Dwelling and Guest Cottage in Nantucket

Climb up to the widow's walk for a rooftop panorama and ocean views.


Photo via Compass

3 West Chester St., Nantucket

Price: $3,200,000
Size: 3,390 square feet
Bedrooms: 6
Baths: 8

There are already so many reasons to visit Nantucket: The sandy dunes, the cobblestone streets, the treasured spots locals love to protect from tourists. But if you’re looking for one compelling reason to pick up everything and move there, here it is. This two-century-old single-family and its fetching guest house are covered in cedar shingles like all of their neighbors, but step inside and you’ll see why this home may actually be the island’s best-kept secret.

A commissioned mural in the foyer greets guests with scenes of sailboats coasting across a wave-filled ocean, a nod to the seagoing surroundings. Extra wide King Pine floors are as old as the house, dating back to around 1820, and a wall of built-ins in the library is made with original pine, too. Through a pair of doors, the kitchen unfolds as a seafoam green dream. A local artisan brushed all of the cabinetry with milk paints, giving them an antiqued look, and added dark squares onto the wood floor to create a checkerboard pattern. Honed slate counters top the island, which contains a porcelain apron sink and tons of drawers, and wraps around the rest of the cabinets, housing a French Lacanche range and a built-in desk. And of course, several windows engulf the room in sunlight, making for an ethereal and altogether soothing space.

The rest of the home follows suit with light, bright design. Climb up to the third floor, where a wooden ladder leans against the wall in a bedroom with a slanted ceiling. Clamber up those steps, too, and out into the daylight of the widow’s walk. From the rooftop perch, you can catch views of the harbor and Nantucket Town.

But all of that is just half of what this property has to offer. Across the backyard patio, the guest cottage was entirely rebuilt and expanded in 2006, and is now the adorable younger sibling to the main home. That blue-green hue also appears in this kitchen, as well as in the living area, and two bedrooms and baths, complemented by natural tongue and groove fir ceilings. The new owners can occupy the estate as one big family, or they can subdivide the property into two separate homes and let someone else in on this charming Nantucket secret.

For information, contact Jeff Alexander, Compass, compass.com.

Photo via Compass

Photo via Compass

Photo via Compass

Photo via Compass

Photo via Compass

Photo via Compass

Photo via Compass

Photo via Compass

Photo via Compass

Photo via Compass

Photo via Compass

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