Entertain Your Options

By Mark Loehrke
Appears in the June 2024 issue.

This estate offers plenty of possibilities for playing host

One of the features that many homebuyers place high on their list of must-haves is a good spot for entertaining—be it a large, inviting kitchen with an island around which to gather, a well-appointed rec room and bar, or, especially as the weather warms up, an expansive outdoor space. A home that features all of these options (and then some) seems like a lucky find, which is why prospective hosts-with-the-most may be drawn to 4N665 Ware Woods Drive in St. Charles, now on the market for $2.7 million.

Checking all of the party-hosting boxes above with aplomb, this sprawling English manor does indeed boast a sizable gourmet kitchen amid its more than 11,000 square feet of interior space, a basement that includes both an Irish pub-inspired bar (with a kitchen of its own) and a luxury theater room (complete with a starry-night ceiling), and a full outdoor oasis—featuring multiple pools, a hot tub, and an outdoor kitchen—occupying a portion of its professionally landscaped two-acre lot.

Beyond these main showplace areas, listing agent Roger Erikson of the McKay Group says there are a variety of other spaces for gathering as well, from the formal living room with its vaulted ceiling to several cozy outdoor verandas sprinkled throughout. And when it’s time for a break from at-home entertaining (or you need to restock party supplies), downtown St. Charles is a five-minute drive away.

Photos: Michael Fanter