Address: 18 Tokeneke Trail, Darien, CT
Bedrooms: 7
Bathrooms: 10
Square feet: 9,649
Price: $9,350,000
In the mid 1970s, James and Ann Bowling bought an expansive piece of property in the private Tokeneke Association community in Darien, CT, to raise their family. A prominent philanthropist and supporter of the arts and executive at Philip Morris for more than 50 years, Bowling and his wife enjoyed hosting friends and family at their Darien estate and frequently played host to a number of well-known guests such as tennis champions Arthur Ashe and Stan Smith, CBS commentator Andy Rooney and entertainer Jimmy Dean. Mary Martin and the Lindberghs, also Darien residents, were neighbors of the Bowlings during those years. Now the couple’s twin daughters have completely renovated their longtime family home in order to preserve the history of the nearly 10,000-square-foot Mediterranean-style manor before selling the 5.5-acre property.
Real estate agent Robin Stineman of William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty in Darien, CT, says photographs of the home don’t do justice to the quality of craftmanship and thoughtful preservation of historical detail. Land on both sides that was once part of the property was donated to the Darien Land Trust to be preserved so the home will always be surrounded by trees. As part of the renovation, the home’s original driveway, which entered from Cross Road, was recreated to return the approach to the house to the grand foyer, where the sisters preserved original iron railings, lanterns and custom designed for the space. The original floors of the home were maple, so the sisters made efforts to ensure the new flooring throughout the first floor was also maple. “I’ve never seen maple floors like this before,” says Stineman. “It’s the coolest thing.”
Original paneling in the dining room and den have been recreated. The home has five fireplaces, two that have been converted to gas and three that remain wood-burning. The kitchen has been completely transformed to accommodate a modern family, and now is open to a family room with one of the gas fireplaces. Two pantries: a butler’s pantry with wet bar and temperature-controlled wine storage, and another pantry with shelving—are right off the kitchen. The home has two laundry rooms, one on the lower level and one on the second floor. Upstairs, the laundry room has Italian marble flooring and hand-picked tile backsplash with custom cabinetry. “It’s my favorite room in the house,” says Stineman, adding that the twins gave the renovation “150 percent.”
The home, overall, “is brand new and old world at the same time,” says Stineman, noting the expansive grounds with trees that are more than 150 years old and plenty of bedrooms to accommodate a large family or guests and parties with ease. “The entertaining spaces are massive,” she adds. “The porch wraps around and you could have a cocktail party for 200 people on that flagstone patio.”
Properties in the Tokeneke Association are difficult to come by says Stineman, adding that this one hasn’t been on the market in 54 years, and the neighborhood is desirable for its large parcels, privacy and proximity to the coast with unrivaled luxury homes the likes of which can be compared only to some estate communities in Greenwich. The neighborhood is less than 10 minutes to the train station and downtown shopping and dining.
CONTACT:
Robin Stineman
Real estate professional
William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty
203-964-7813; rstineman@wpsir.com
