Luxurious townhome with comfort, privacy, easy access

Upscale Lexington townhome has all the amenities, plus many unique touches

This beautiful, upscale Lexington townhome offers luxury, privacy, and quiet seclusion in elegant and understated Federal style, but it also has many unusual and eclectic touches that make it unique.

The two-story brick home is located at 3417 Briercroft Way, in the Townhomes of Greenbrier development adjacent to the Greenbrier Country Club. Though the location on Lexington’s north side calls to mind rural countryside, but it offers quick and easy access to shopping, dining and entertainment in town, with an airport and interstate highways also close by. The home was built in 2008.

“It’s very quiet and peaceful out here. The home is on a private gated street that is closed 24-7, so there is no through- traffic,” said Developer-Realtor Jeff Kessler, who

built the home and developed Townhomes of

Greenbrier. He is acting as listing agent for homeowner Beverly Bales.

With just over 3,400 square feet of space, the home boasts four bedrooms and 41/2 baths, including a first-floor master suite, great room, gathering room, formal dining area and kitchen with granite counter tops and custom cabinetry by Kentucky craftsman David Gregory. The partially finished basement includes what amounts to a second great room – with casement windows to bring in plenty of sunlight – and lots of storage space on its unfinished side.

Outside, a picturesque brick wall encloses a peaceful courtyard and garden on the left side of the house. A good place to enjoy the view is the big, screened-in porch, or veranda, also on that side of the house. On the opposite side, the house shares a wall with a neighboring townhome.

There is a large attached garage that can accommodate three vehicles.

The home is equipped with a large electric generator to keep everything humming even if a storm should knock out the power.

Kessler also promises that this is a home that will last. “The basement walls are made of poured concrete 12 inches thick,’ he said. “I’ve always over-built.”

And then there are all those unusual touches.

The home’s spacious great room includes a fireplace with a stunning antique English Colonial mantel constructed from teak wood. There is another fireplace in the basement, also with an antique mantel. Both fireplaces have remotely controlled gas logs, but they are built of masonry and could be converted to burn wood, according to Kessler.

The first floor also features random-width hardwood flooring, made from lumber that was recovered from old Kentucky barns and lovingly refinished by Longwood Antique Woods of Lexington.

The antique mantels and flooring are just some of the many unusual features that Beverly Bales personally sought out and selected for inclusion in her home.

Paths in the garden are paved with gravel, which she also specified “because she wanted it to look ‘old time,’” Kessler said.

“She was really into picking everything out herself,” he said. “She was very particular about the antique flooring, for example. That’s how involved she was. Everything in here reflects her personal touch.”

Equally impressive is the way in which the many non-traditional and antique items have been smoothly meshed with modern styles and conveniences.

One example is in the first-floor master bath, which has heated floors, Art Deco lighting, a walk-in shower and a soaking tub. Overlooking the tub is a stunning arch-topped antique window, featuring leaded glass with beautiful decorative etching. A remotely controlled shade over the window provides privacy. The homeowner personally selected the window, Kessler said.

“That’s an old window; glass companies just don’t make them anymore,” he said. “But she found it somewhere, liked it, and wanted it for the house. So, we made a frame for it and it look quite a bit of work.”

Another example is on the first floor, where a closet is adorned with beautiful and distinctive door that once was on the Confessional of an old Catholic church. Nearby, the bannister on the stairs leading to the second floor is supported by an ornate newel post from a 19th century home. They’re all items that Beverly personally selected.

Many of the items came from Architectural Salvage and Joe Ley Antiques, both in Louisville. Others were found in places ranging from Denver, Co., to Cullman, Al., as well as Lexington, Beverly says.

“I think that because of my extensive travel I have an appreciation for unusual and artistic things,” she said. “I wanted to bring different items into my hone, and one of the ways I did this was with the doors and mantels.

“My cousin, who is an amazing decorator, helped me,” Beverly said. “We had an overall plan and we also added items as we found then. We knew where we wanted to use antique or unique items, and went shopping for what I didn’t already have. Placing the doors was a bit of a jigsaw puzzle, but it worked out great.”

Indeed, Kessler says that virtually every interior door on the first floor of the home is different. All are antiques. Most are eight feet tall, but are easily accommodated by the 10-foot ceilings. Ceilings on the second floor are nine feet high.

Beverly says she enjoyed the entire house, but “especially the screen porch.”

The porch includes antique screen doors, and a classic tongue-and-groove wood ceiling whose light blue paint is another traditional touch. Kessler says that in earlier days owners often painted their porch ceilings light blue on the theory that bees and wasps would mistake the blue for sky and refrain from building nests on the ceiling.

Kessler says the townhome should particularly appeal to “empty nesters” looking for new digs with fewer upkeep demands. He noted that lawn mowing and snow removal services in the townhome development are covered by the homeowners association. Actually, he said, the property could appeal to any buyer who wants to downsize from a large upscale home to something smaller without sacrificing quality or amenities.

Beverly says she thinks the home would be attractive for anyone “who wants to be in a desirable location in Lexington, and on a quiet street that is gated.”

“I’ve certainly enjoyed living here and I’ll miss my neighbors a lot,” she said. “I think life is about relationships and I’ve started a new chapter in mine.”

This week’s feature home is listed with Jeff Kessler of Berkshire Hathaway de Movellan Properites. To see more images of the home, visit the Homeseller gallery at Kentucky.com.

This story was originally published December 29, 2019 at 6:00 AM.