REAL ESTATE
VICTORIAN TREASURES
Drive through the piney woods north of Houston and escape to 42 acres of the heavenly countryside 20 minutes north of The Woodlands, where an elegant Victorian style mansion awaits for the perfect country getaway
11134 Shepard Hill Road, Willis, Texas
$3,750,000
GINA SAMAROTTO
Meld a remarkable stroll through yesteryear with all of the convenience modern-day delivers, and you would have this memorable, Texan Victorian. Settled on nearly fifty sprawling acres in the historical city of Willis in Southeast Texas' Montgomery County, the home was crafted from the ground up, a labor of love for antique maven Becky Muehlstein.
"The property itself spoke to us. We had been looking for a place to build and found this vast open space. There was room to build a lake; there were acres and acres of land; it was the perfect spot to build." And build they did. Over a year, the 10,000-square-foot bespoke home with its stained-glass windows, weighty doors, intricately detailed finishes, eight bedrooms, eleven bathrooms, and a bevy of elegant common rooms came to life. And while the home rose, Muehlstein took those twelve months to luxuriously adorn and furnish every square inch. "I had a notebook with a list of what I wanted to have in each of the rooms," she explained. "And so I combed through antiques and went to auctions every week until my lists were completed."
Clearly, the notebook system worked - Muehlstein's flair for design and love of antiques envelopes the eight-bedroom, eleven-bath home. From the period antique chandeliers that illuminate the gleaming, honeyed floors to the majestic etageres, beeswax polished chestnut beds, and sumptuous settees, the estate is a Victorian wonderland where fine furnishings and artful craftsmanship collide. Beautifully detailed crown moldings grace the ceilings, carved wood railings gently lead up and down graceful stairways, stained and leaded glass transoms flood rooms with light, and French doors open to rooms, each more lovely than the last.
The unbridled elegance of this Victorian farmhouse doesn't stop at its well-turned threshold. Outside under a big Texan sky, you'll find a plethora of exquisite spaces. There's a spacious, Victorian gazebo adorned with antique birdcages and crowned by a sparkling crystal chandelier and a bridge-like wood patio dotted with bistro tables that invite you to sit and enjoy the air. Cobbled walkways welcome you under pergolas drenched in flowering vines. The tumbling rose gardens, and seemingly endless expanse of rolling lawns are divine. There is also a well-stocked lake that is perfect for an afternoon of fishing or simply the perfect backdrop for a stunning Texan evening, all reached by a long driveway that unveils the estate to guests in a series of magical glimpses.
In addition to the main home, there's an intimate and charming fairytale guest cottage just under 1,000-squarefeet. Above the three-car garage, you'll find a space ideal for a game room or to create an additional guest suite. During Muehlstein's stewardship of the home, the Victorian gem was the stage for dozens of weddings – 24 in one year alone. Today, with the addition of a 6,000-square-foot reception building replete with lavishly draped ceilings, glittering chandeliers, and an antique bar located just adjacent to the main home, there is nearly no event or celebration too large for the gracious estate to host with inimitable elegance and ease.
The exquisitely turned-out Victorian estate is being offered fully furnished with its myriad treasures, needing only a new hand to wave its magic wand and make romantic Texas dreams come true.
11134 Shepard Hill Road, Willis, TX, is listed at $3,750,000.
For more information, or to schedule a private showing, please contact:
Patricia Hoffmaster
Austin: 512-970-8601
Houston: 713-300-0532
Marilyn Hoffman
Mobile: 214-674-3961
Dallas: 214-698-1736
Aspen: 970-300-3319
Lexington: 859-523-2813
Greenwich: 203-660-6146