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Property In Norwalk's Silvermine Section Offers Little Slice Of Heaven

NORWALK, Conn. -- Darcy Plimpton-Sims found a slice a heaven when she and her husband moved to 189 Perry Ave. in Norwalk’s Silvermine neighborhood just two years ago. Last year, she invited friends from her church, Grace Farms in New Canaan, to share the experience, and now she’s inviting a new owner to share in the wonder.

The home at 189 Perry Ave. in Norwalk's Silvermine section offers four bedrooms and nearly one acre.

The home at 189 Perry Ave. in Norwalk's Silvermine section offers four bedrooms and nearly one acre.

Photo Credit: Contributed
A roaring fire heats up the home in a walk-in fireplace.

A roaring fire heats up the home in a walk-in fireplace.

Photo Credit: Contributed
The property includes a prayer cottage.

The property includes a prayer cottage.

Photo Credit: Contributed
A creek in back of the property brings a sense of tranquility.

A creek in back of the property brings a sense of tranquility.

Photo Credit: Contributed
The Prayer Cottage includes a man-made cross.

The Prayer Cottage includes a man-made cross.

Photo Credit: Contributed
The home includes an updated bathroom.

The home includes an updated bathroom.

Photo Credit: Contributed
The dining room has long windows and lots of natural light.

The dining room has long windows and lots of natural light.

Photo Credit: Contributed
The kitchen has also been updated.

The kitchen has also been updated.

Photo Credit: Contributed
The family room is one of the key features of the home.

The family room is one of the key features of the home.

Photo Credit: Contributed

Plimpton-Sims recently listed the four-bedroom, four-bath retreat with Douglas Elliman agent Jennifer Leahy. The property includes .87 acres, 3,856 square feet of living space and a second building, a former writer’s cottage that now serves as a prayer cottage. The listing is priced at $2.25 million.

“The sounds from the river bring a peace and tranquility to the property that is hard to find,’’ Leahy said. “It’s serene and beautiful.”

When Plimpton-Sims purchased the home, she had no real plans for the cottage. “We had quite a lot of work to do on the property,’’ she said. “That’s where the rakes were kept. We really didn’t give it a second thought.”

A visit to the movies last year changed her outlook. After seeing “The War Room,’’ a Christian-themed movie, Plimpton-Sims found purpose for the cottage. “I realized that is exactly what the cottage needed to be, a war room,’’ she said. “It’s an inner-sanctum to talk about God, pray and meditate.”

One worker helping renovate the main house even built a 5-foot cross that now hangs in the cottage. Friends, neighbors and even strangers now visit the cottage.

“I mentioned it a women’s group meeting at our church,’’ Plimpton-Sims said. “Now there’s a stream of women that walk over. Sometimes we’ll have a prayer mixer to pray for the community.”

Many homes in the Silvermine area have writer’s cottages on the premises. The structure on Plimpton-Sims’ property burned and then neglected. Children of previous owners played in it, but it does not have water or heat. Now it’s used by whoever wants to meditate, pray, think or just remove themselves from the hectic moments of life for a little while.

“Now it gets used a lot,’’ Plimpton-Sims said. “One day it was a steady stream of people coming over. It’s a specific place for God.”

The cottage adds to the appeal of the property, where the main home was built in 1920. The first floor includes a large living room with bar, kitchen, great room, dining room, office, laundry room, and foyer and the master suite.

The great room features cathedral ceilings with hand-hewn 18th century beams, wide-plank flooring and a walk-in fireplace. The gourmet kitchen includes slate floors and is ideally located next to entertaining spaces. The master suite features a private garden, spa bath and expansive walk-in closet.

Three bedrooms fill the upstairs, along with a full bath. The house has been carefully remodeled since Plimpton-Sims purchased it.

“What stands out about this home is the great room. It has the most incredible 18th century wood beams in the cathedral ceiling and pumpkin pine wide-planked wood floors,'' Leahy said. "The oversized windows totally capture the river. On top of that the walk in fireplace is one of a kind. That room alone would be impossible to re-create because the materials are hard to find and cost prohibitive. It’s for that type of buyer that wants a touch of magic.”

Plimpton-Sims feels the home’s buyer has been preordained. “God knows who is going to buy this house,’’ she said. “If He brought my husband and I to it to turn it into a prayer cottage, it’s not for nothing. The next owner may drawn to it because of the prayer cottage and how it feels like it’s a retreat. It will be for a unique buyer, and God already knows who that buyer is.”

Click here for the property listing. To arrange a showing, contact Leahy at 917-699-2783 or via email at jennifer.leahy@elliman.com.

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