By Gretchen A. Peck

Nestled among a border of deciduous and evergreen trees, 15 Montauk Avenue in Stonington is a 4.40-acre compound comprising a three-bedroom main house and a one-bedroom guest house, which was fully renovated by the current owner, a professional interior designer. Associate Broker Judi Caracausa, who leads the Market Team at William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty’s Mystic brokerage, is the listing agent.

Lindsey Vickers earned a degree in architecture, and during her studies discovered that she had a talent for interior design. Over the years, she transformed spaces for clients and also homes of her own, creating beautiful, inviting and optimally comfortable rooms that are perfectly livable.

Vickers lived most of her life on the West Coast, but relocated to the East Coast about five years ago. She toured this home at 15 Montauk Avenue and was charmed by the simplicity of the New England salt box architecture. But it was the floor plan and the landscaping that truly made her fall in love with the property.

The house and yard needed work, but she relished the opportunity to reimagine the main house, a companion guest house, “she shed” and yard.

The main house has 2,701 square feet of living space, with open-plan living and entertaining rooms. The living room—with a coffered ceiling, built-ins, a bay window and fireplace— sits at the center of the floor plan, with two wings in either direction.

Asked about her design aesthetic, Vickers said, “I’m not too fussy. I want to make a home live comfortably. Here’s your headline: I had two cats named Comfy and Cozy. That is my aesthetic, for my clients’ homes and my homes, as well.”

She retained the services of a Glastonbury-based cabinetmaker, who handcrafted the cabinets, topping the counters with Caesarstone. The tile backsplash was custom designed, as was a floor-to-ceiling glass-fronted china display cabinet. There’s a center island that accommodates seating for two, an undermount sink and a gas range and oven.

Among the home’s three bedrooms is a generously proportioned primary suite, with a beamed ceiling, a veritable wall of windows, exterior access to a private patio, and an ensuite bath.

The guest house provides a lot of opportunity for the buyer. It’s self-sufficient, with a full kitchen, bath, living area and bedroom. “It has its own little parking area. It’s very private, with its own garden,” Vickers noted.

She lived in the guest house during the renovations of the main house. And once the main house was finished and she moved in there, she chose to use the guest house as a short-term rental. It was wildly popular during the COVID pandemic, when people appreciated having a private retreat within close proximity to the coast. The guest house might also be used for live-in staff or multigenerational living scenarios.

Her work wasn’t done when the main house and guest house were finished. She also set her design sights on a small barn on the property, which had been used to store tools and yard-maintenance equipment. She ran electrical and plumbing to it, added built-ins and transformed it into a charming “she shed.”

“It’s my favorite place,” she said. “It’s been my folly.” The little outbuilding also affords flexible utility. It could be a reading room, a writer’s cottage, home office or creative space.

Vickers explained that this home represents her design swan song. Now retired, she plans to downsize and hang up her swatch books in favor of her “second passion,” gardening.

“It’s near the water, but not on the water. It’s at a higher point in Stonington, which I liked, because I’m concerned about global warming. Besides the landscape here, I’ve appreciated the charm of Stonington Borough and the proximity to Mystic, as well. Both are charming in different ways. I particularly love that the Borough has been so well preserved,” she said.

At deadline, Vickers had accepted an offer; however, she and Caracausa are still accepting backup offers from earnest buyers. The asking price is $1.895 million.

Property: 15 Montauk Ave., Stonington

Bedrooms: 3

Baths: 3

Square Footage: 2,701

Acreage: 4.40

Asking Price: $1.895 million

Listing Agent: Judi Caracausa, The Market Team, Sotheby’s International Realty; Mobile: (860) 912-9903; Office: (860) 572-1155; buymystic@aol.com