House With A View
Craig Hawkins
Maury People
$3,865,000
Perhaps the ideal house on Nantucket is one that combines

the casual feel of the beach and the ocean with the sophistication and comfort of a year-round house; one that offers views among the best on the island, has pond access and is close to the ocean and one that has plenty of living space and makes you feel welcome and at home.

Nineteen Osprey Way has all of these things. Located on a quiet lane, the house faces Hummock Pond and has a sweeping vista that ranges from the ocean, across miles of conservation land on the other side of the pond, to the spires of the churches in town. It is situated and designed so that the views come right inside and are almost part of the house’s psyche.

Going through the front door, you are able to see through the front hall, with its unusual colorful slate floor, to the pond and Ram Pasture. You will later discover that most of the rooms in the house enjoy the same view but, for the moment, once you enter the adjacent living room you realize that you could happily spend your days here curled up on one of the couches or talking with family or friends and just savoring the ambiance which the room and the view together provide.

The living room, a large space with all sorts of possibilities for different furniture layouts, opens through a pair of French doors onto a covered porch which becomes an extension of the living room in nice weather.

Returning through the living room and continuing your tour, you pass through a hall. To your left, open from waist level up is the dining room. Again large windows bring in the scenery. No one will want to sit with their back to the pond.

Across from the dining room entrance is an unusual, half-enclosed, circular stairway thatleads up to the second floor and down to the exercise room in the half-basement.

Beyond is the country kitchen which has every bit as much to offer as the living room in terms of views and comfort. The good–sized kitchen area is finished on three sides with natural cabinets and a granite countertop that ends in a unique, semi-circular, breakfast bar.

The seating area is set up to take advantage of the surroundings, but there is also a gas-fired stove to enjoy on cooler evenings. Again in good weather, al fresco dining on the room’s own covered porch will add to the pleasures of your life.

At the back of the house there is a cheerful guest suite with full bath and the large laundry room which has the same stone floor as the front hall.

The upstairs, reached either by the circular staircase or a more conventional one off the living room, is defined by the two bedrooms at either end. Both have the second best views in the house, are big enough for king-sized beds with plenty of room to spare and have built-in daybeds under the windows. (One daybed has built-in drawers and cupboards.)

The bedrooms are separated by a sitting area that claims the superlative for its views, which get even better on the deck outside, particularly at sunset. The huge marble bathroom has double sinks (at opposite ends), a whirlpool tub and separate shower stall.

Finally, an office/den is set up with three workstations each looking out a window.

Back downstairs, you go back through the front hall to visit the guest or in-law suite. On the ground floor with its own outside access and deck, this room has a kitchenette and seating space at one end and the bedroom area at the other. A full bath and a large closet complete this wonderfully bright and livable space. In addition to serving as a guest room, this would make an ideal family room or studio.

Crossing the large yard in front of the house, you can enter through the fence and across the adjacent lane to the deeded path leading down to the pond where you can keep your kayaks on a rack. When you come back from exploring the pond or from nearby Cisco beach, you will rinse off in the outdoor shower.

Whether for year-round living, as a wonderful summer home or as a rental in one of the island’s prime areas, the appealing house at 19 Osprey Way, with three bedrooms, the family room/studio/guest suite swing space and three-and-one-half baths and the fabulous setting, is offered for $3,865,000.