Madaket Marvel
CONGDON & COLEMAN $4,295,000

If you dream of an old fashioned Nantucket beach house that meets all the requirements of simple summer living, yet is unique in its design– something you are not likely to see replicated anywhere on the island, then you should get yourself out to the Head of the Plains, across the Massassoit Bridge from Madaket. Here, at the end of a long, winding lane which traverses conservation property, far removed from any other buildings and sitting up high with 360 degree views, you will find one of the most unusual houses on Nantucket.

Built in the late 1960s, as a guest cottage for an adjoining house that is no longer there, the house at 15 Head of the Plains Road is in the shape of a hexagon. Because the foliage in the “plains” area is low, you see the roof of the house long before you get to it and your curiosity is piqued about how something like this could work in Nantucket. You soon find out.

You approach from the rear and climb up to the new mahogany deck which wraps around the

entire house. Since the surroundings are so much a part of the house, you just have to get the lay of the land before going inside. You walk around the deck, catching glimpses of what’s inside, but as soon as you get to the front, you understand that the cottage has been designed to take full advantage of its setting. The deck widens into a huge patio which, because it is raised, gives you a stunning view across several hundred yards of vegetation to the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. You see the path that takes you to the deeded beach access. You realize that this is a spot where you could sit for hours and just absorb the scenery or share fishing stories with family and friends.

Once inside – you can go in through any one of the sliding glass doors – you find yourself in a living room which, despite its high ceiling, is the quintessential Nantucket beach house. The walls and ceiling are of wood. With floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides, the indoors and the outdoors join and create a unique sense of being in a very large area. Most importantly, the place exudes comfort and simplicity.

In the living space there are multiple seating areas, a dining table at one end and a game table at the other. From any spot in the room, the outdoors is your realm. And the open plan, combined with the breezes, keeps the house cool on the hottest of summer days.

Tucked behind a wall is the galley kitchen which is perfect for preparing family meals, but has enough space to make entertaining easy. Skylights next to the house’s core provide plenty of natural light. In a closet beyond the dining area, the washer and dryer are hidden. All the appliances are up-todate.

Past the dining area, you find the den. With built-in book cases and a cozy feel, this is the perfect

spot to read, watch television or just take a nap. Through the den you enter the master bedroom, which again, because of the warmth afforded by the wooden walls, has a comfortable, livable feeling. The adjacent full bath has a shower stall which is actually set into the structural core of the house. Two closets, including a walk-in, provide plenty of storage.

The second bedroom is at the other end of the living room. It has a half bath with access to the outdoor shower, right outside.

The four-acre piece of land on which this house sits is actually two land courted two acre parcels. The owners might entertain the notion of selling them separately. The parcel on which the house sits has a recently certified, seven-bedroom septic system. (Remember, there used to be another house.) There is a hexagonal gazebo on the second parcel.

This special two bedroom, one and one-half bath beach cottage, surrounded by conservation land, with amazing views and incredible charm, is offered with four acres for $4,295,000. I