Art Collector’s Private Retreat in Pennsylvania Is a ‘Jaw-Dropping’ Stunner for $1.6M

An art collector’s one-of-a-kind retreat in Glen Mills, PA, just hit the market for $1,650,000.

The remarkable residence consists of an original 1830s pitched-roof farmhouse, which connects to the more recent 1996 additions that include kitchen, living room, and gallery spaces.

“The owner was a successful businessman who relished beauty and solitude,” says listing agent Maria Nevelson, who previously worked with the owner. “After amassing a museum-quality contemporary art collection, he came to me to find an architect capable of designing a jaw-dropping house at the same level.”

The owner tapped the Philadelphia-based Wesley Wei Architects to create the home’s award-winning design.

Its newer interiors are adorned in a variety of nature-inspired materials and details, including river rock, fieldstone, slate, cedar, and patinated copper.

The three-bedroom home at 1235 Gradyville Road sits on 3 private acres, surrounded by a formal Japanese garden that includes a spring-fed koi pond.

“The major update to this property was the addition of a koi pond, which was inspired by Philadelphia’s Shofuso Japanese House,” Nevelson says. “The owner brought in landscape architects specializing in Japanese-styled gardens after the house construction was finished.”

The spring-fed pond is also surrounded by manicured gardens and secret nesting places for the local wild geese.

Back inside, reclaimed pine flooring and an original fireplace complete the dining room in the historic farmhouse. Upstairs, a spacious primary suite comes with a full bathroom and walk-in closet, while another loftlike bedroom overlooks the gallery space. And the minimalist kitchen boasts a stainless steel appliance suite.

Other modern conveniences are tucked out of sight.

“Attention has also been given to the roof, plumbing, and all of the electrical,” Nevelson says. “A washer and dryer hookup was added to one of the bedrooms, and there’s new lighting in the basement and garage.”

The property comes with a separate four-car garage that includes a motorcycle lift and a top-floor art studio.

Despite the home’s retreatlike atmosphere, it also offers close proximity to a variety of nearby attractions.

“The Tyler Arboretum, Ridley Creek State Park, Brandywine Museum of Art, Longwood Gardens are all close by, as is the airport and several major highways, universities, and favorite restaurants,” Nevelson says.

She and Marc Hammarberg hold the listing.