Fantasy Farm Thursday: Historic Colorado Equestrian Manor For Absolute Auction

The Taylor Estate of Lakewood, Colorado — valued at $27.7 million — is up for absolute auction on July 13, providing the perfect setting for the horse lover whose heart is in the American West but wants that English manor feel. As you do.

It’s hard to have it all: proximity to a booming city with a vibrant developing culture, wide-open spaces and fresh air, mountain views, serene waterfront, plenty of acreage for your horses, and of course, that thing that we all want — a historic European-style manor house brimming with history and opulent design features.

Oh, but you can have it all, my friends. You just need to be the top bidder on July 13, when the Taylor Estate goes on the block.

Photography by Scott Cramer & Ron Ruscio

Valued at a respectable $27.7 million, the cozy little 11-bedroom, 9-bathroom Taylor Estate on its 64 acres was built in 1932, designed by Burnham F. Hoyt (designer of such structures as the Central Denver Public Library and Red Rocks Ampitheater). Sitting just 20 minutes outside of Denver, the estate balances a sense of quiet retreat with proximity to the city scene. Over the years, the estate has played host to a number of society stars, from celebrities and socialites to photographers, authors and publishers, and along the way became the Colorado host for the British Royal Family.

But you don’t need to know all that to appreciate the beauty and seclusion of the Taylor Estate (though knowing that you walk around in the footsteps of, say, Truman Capote or Gregory Peck is kind of cool).

The Taylor Estate is a living echo of a bygone time, and also perhaps bygone awareness of architecture and interior decorating. As an example, I thought the below photo was of the comfortable living room, in which I could see myself curling up with a book by this lovely fire. Apparently, this is actually just the foyer.

Obvious social gaffe on my end aside, this manor-style home is designed to make you feel like you’ve stepped into one of Europe’s old great houses, perfect for entertaining. This is definitely the kind of dining room in which you expect a few footman to help with the serving.

The master suite isn’t too shabby, affording what looks like a lovely view of one of the many lawns, or perhaps the cut-flower bed. Because every good manor home needs to have a cut-flower bed.

There are a total of 26 rooms, including multiple guest rooms, dual master suites, a drawing room, a ballroom, chef’s kitchen and twelve fireplaces.

Moving back outside, just imagine the outdoor entertaining opportunities afforded by this gorgeous stretch of lawn, those graceful old trees, the view of the Front Range, and a perfect private pool! Or skip inviting all your friends up to Denver, and just enjoy a lovely post-ride soak all to yourself. This, friends, is living. (There are also private tennis courts, because you can’t have a real manor house without a tennis court.)

As for the equestrian amenities themselves, the Taylor Estate sits on 64 acres of prime riding space, and boasts a small private barn, outbuildings, tack and feed facilities, plus a dressage ring. If you’ve ever wanted to practice your piaffe beneath Mount Evans like a true dressage queen-cum-cowgirl, this is your opportunity.

And when the sun is setting, your horses are happily grazing away somewhere on those 64 acre and all is right with the world, wander down to your private thousand-plus-feet of waterfront access and private boat facilities on Lake Ward. Watch the sun go down and realize that all is right with the world. You do, in fact, have it all.

Take the full virtual tour of the Taylor Estate:

The Taylor Estate is open for previews every weekend starting Saturday, June 16 up until the absolute auction on July 13th — the highest bidder will win, regardless of final price. Visit DeCaro Auctions to learn more.