An Evolving Estate

By Mark Loehrke
Appears in the March 2025 issue.

This Swing Era stunner has kept up with the times

The tired cliché about teaching old dogs new tricks clearly doesn’t apply to the world of luxury real estate, at least in the case of Stone Wood Manor. Built back in 1935, the 13,500-square-foot estate at 875 Country Club Road in St. Charles (now on the market for $6.95 million) underwent a thoughtful and extensive renovation in 2016 to bring it fully into the modern era—without sacrificing the charm or vintage detail of the original.

The 2016 revamp resulted in a home that now features not only seven bedrooms, nine full bathrooms, and five fireplaces, but a wine room, fully equipped spa, high-end gym, fully rebuilt pool house adjacent to the resort-style outdoor pool. Subsequent projects, meanwhile, have included a redesign and expansion of the chef’s kitchen in 2021, a newly built pickleball court and studio in 2022 (featuring lighted pickleball and basketball sport courts, as well as a wet bar and private patio with fire pit), and a 2024 update of the home theater, which now features a Ralph Lauren-inspired bar and plush leather recliner seating for eight (with built-in heat/massage functionality).

Despite all of these changes and upgrades, however, listing agent Carrie McCormick of @properties Christie’s International Real Estate says the feature she enjoys showing prospective buyers the most is something that’s actually still pretty similar to what likely wowed visitors all those decades ago—the manor’s nine landscaped acres, which include a tranquil pond and one-fourth-mile walking trail. “Being surrounded by nature has a grounding effect that simply feels good,” McCormick says. “The sight of wildlife and the serene landscapes create a beautiful sense of calm and Zen that’s hard to match.”

Photos: Matt Driscoll/VHT Studios