Milston Well Farm

4937 109th, Boulder County

Milston Well Farm is an unprecedented offering in Boulder County.  Tasteful and inspiring, this 3 acre compound has undergone an extensive renovation of all buildings, including the stylish 1909 farmhouse, charming 1 bedroom guest cottage, antique red barn, huge heated workshop, repurposed office shed, newly constructed bathhouse, historic Model T garage and animal loafing shed. A desirable locale for Weddings and Farm-to-Table Dinners, this property offers the bonus of a turnkey business generating significant income from leasing the guest cottage and the grounds/barn for weddings or events. For extensive detailed information about this property, please visit our full listing page.

Whether you are a family looking for a stunning, move-in ready home with space, privacy, and views in a convenient Boulder County location, OR if you are an artist, restaurateur, musician, woodworker, farmer, or entrepreneur who wishes to capitalize on all that this property offers, this spectacular property will delight and amaze you with its appealing beauty, incredible creativity and unparalleled lifestyle.

Offered at $2,385,000

For more information or to schedule a private showing, please contact
Leyla Steele 303-859-3110 home@leylasteele.com

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MAIN FARMHOUSE 2015
Originally built in 1909, the 4 bedroom, 4 bath farmhouse has since been expanded and completely redesigned for modern living and more efficient use of space, with gorgeous open kitchen, living and dining, terrific mud room, sumptuous main floor master suite and 3 light filled upstairs bedrooms. Most of the exterior walls remain the same, but everything on the interior is new as of 2016, including a new 50yr roof.

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COTTAGE
Originally built in 1905 and this one bedroom cottage was completely remodeled in 2016 using cool vintage reclaimed materials and appliances. The cottage aka the Honeymoon House is successfully rented as a vacation rental.

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SHOP
The shop/workshop is perfect for artist, musician, chef, woodworker or car enthusiast. Three garage doors make it convenient for handling large projects or installations. It has a concrete floor, walls and ceilings are insulated and has wood burning stove for heat.  It is also wired for 110v and 220v equipment and has a sink and refrigerator.
27′ x 47′

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HISTORIC MODEL T GARAGE
Currently used as a garden shed.  Has been repainted to match rest of buildings and has a new roof.
8′ x 16′

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OFFICE / SHED
Functional space with new shiplap interior siding, traditional glass and chrome chandelier, and concrete floors. Built in cabinetry along back wall with roll out tray for printer and walnut countertop.  Electric baseboard heat.
8′ x 16′

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BARN
Reroofed with extensive structural fixes and rebuilt cupola. Antique barn doors on both sides return it to its original state.  Vintage style café lights are strung inside for a dreamy romantic glow in the evenings.  Gravel floor makes it easier for machines to go in and out and keeps shoes a little cleaner.  Added extra outlets on the north and east sides are convenient for event use.
28′ x 40′ (2 levels)

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LOAFING SHEDS / ANIMALS
Newly built, predator-proof area for the chickens and turkeys, large corral for the goats and donkeys as well as sheltered space.  There is water and electrical in this area as well.  Rebuilt the lodge pole fence, beautiful wishing well, which has a stone base with reclaimed framing structure, wood shake top and antique hardware.

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THE BATHHOUSE  is designed to look like a shed.  It has brick floors with a door for access to the plumbing if necessary. The new hot water heater is located in the adjacent shop.  It has baseboard heat, toilet and converted horse trough tub/shower with black matte hardware and custom walnut shower caddy.  The vanity was made from reclaimed oak and a reclaimed sink.  White shiplap throughout with mid century chandelier from RH.  Custom copper accents by Shutze Studio.

Press and Media Coverage

Turnkey Events Business

A desirable locale for Weddings and Farm-to-Table Dinners, this property offers the BONUS of a turnkey business generating significant income from leasing the guest cottage and the grounds/barn for weddings or events.

For more financial information please contact Leyla Steele 303-859-3110 and visit the current owners’ active events and wedding web site for the property.

Property Description

This remarkable property, known as Milston Well Farm, consists of the 1909 Farmhouse, 1905 guest house, workshop, barn, loafing shed, grain silo, and other picturesque buildings, all on 3 well tended acres, in Boulder County. Abutting conservation land and boasting views of the Continental Divide, this property is located on a quiet road near Alexander Dawson School (and Highway 287) within biking distance of downtown Erie and a short drive to Boulder, Longmont, Louisville and Lafayette. Once you arrive, it’s clear you may never wish to leave but the point is, it’s close to everything, even though it feels a world apart.

Whether you are a family looking for a stunning, move-in ready home with space, privacy, and views in a convenient Boulder County location, OR an artist, restaurateur, musician, woodworker, farmer, or entrepreneur who wishes to capitalize on all that this property offers, this spectacular compound is truly one of a kind. It will delight and amaze with its appealing beauty, incredible creativity and unparalleled lifestyle.

What’s clear is that there is much to know about this property. For starters, the property and buildings have been extensively renovated so read on and be thoroughly impressed.

Offered at $2,385,000

For more information or to schedule a private showing, please contact
Leyla Steele 303-859-3110 home@leylasteele.com

FARMHOUSE – ORIGINALLY BUILT 1909. RENOVATED/EXPANDED IN 2015

The original farmhouse was recently restored, replanned and expanded to make more efficient use of the existing footprint. The exterior walls remain, but everything else is new as of 2015, including the roof. The result is a dazzling, light-filled 4 bedroom/ 4 bathroom home with an inviting front porch, stunning open kitchen, living room, dining area, sumptuous main floor master suite with private porch, 3 upstairs bedrooms, one with ensuite bathroom and the other two with a shared bathroom, plus a playroom/study with access to the front balcony. The well appointed mud room is equipped with farmhouse sink, built in cabinets, washer and dryer.

The owners, Chris and Margaret, are exacting in their attention to quality and exquisite design sense. Chris is formerly a high end custom home builder and now designs and crafts his own furniture. Margaret is an inexhaustibly creative person who designs her own line of clothing and has a long and successful career as an interior designer, mostly working in the luxury hotel industry.  Here are some notes from the renovation of the farmhouse:

    • All new electrical, plumbing and architectural lighting
    • Windows: MILGARD Ultra Windows, which are fiberglass.  In the research I found, fiberglass is the best for use in Colorado because of the extreme temperature variations.  Fiberglass is better than wood and vinyl and is more durable and doesn’t expand and contract like the other materials. These windows have a lifetime guarantee.  They never have to be painted or maintained.
    • Floors: We found the most interesting white oak that had knots and character.  Chris used a Japanese method called Shou Sugi Ban on the floors to give them a dark and weathered look.  It is a method used in Japan since the 1700s.  Upstairs we used a beautiful Shaw Carpet that is extremely soil resistant.
    • Door Hardware: Crystal Octagon Door Knob (Georgian Roped Plate Antique Brass)
    • Mechanical: Highly efficient Geothermal System installed and maintained by Blue Valley Energy. Geothermal heating and cooling systems take advantage of the stable temperature underground using a piping system, commonly referred to as a “loop.” Water circulates in the loop to exchange heat between your home, the ground source heat pump, and the earth, providing geothermal heating, cooling, and hot water at remarkably high efficiencies.
    • Insulation: Spray foam insulation in the walls and spray foamed insulation in the floor of the second floor for added noise protection between levels.  Insulation by Eco-foam.
    • Landscaping/Irrigation: Drip system around the main farmhouse and also the cottage.  The whole property is completely irrigated. Work was completed by GreenPro Inc – Steve Fisk. Flagstone paths throughout.  European style garden with flower and vegetable beds lined with stone.  Water and Electrical at garden. Fencing combination of lodge pole and wire fencing. 100 year old cottonwoods, pines, sumac, maples, lilacs, etc throughout. Tree allée lines the back of the property with mountain views
    • Roofs: The roofs on every building except the shop are stone coated metal and have a 50 year warranty.  It also sounds amazing when it rains!

KITCHEN: Overall design: Modern farmhouse chic.  Classic black and white with brass accents.  Open shelving with Victorian style brass brackets and reclaimed oak wood.  Classic white subway tile with black grout.  Architectural lighting and pendants on dimmers.  Integrated pantry hidden by reclaimed barn style sliding doors that slide open to reveal appliance counter keep appliances plugged in and ready to use.  Large 8’ island seats 4-5 comfortably to look like loose piece of furniture in a chic black finish.  Storage is mostly large deep drawers for easy use.  Countertop is marble from Vermont  (nice departure from Carrara).

MUDROOM: This room was falling into the ground so it was entirely rebuilt to exactly match previous, including new glass in the existing window frames. Slate floors with reclaimed door (reused from the home with a super cool patina for the back door and interior door to the house).  Additions include: A deep fireclay laundry sink with black faucet for a modern look;  White cabinetry with brass knobs (like in the kitchen) custom designed for a three sorting laundry hamper (included). Washer and Dryer are Whirlpool Duets (steam feature on the dryer).  Countertop is SILESTONE complemented by white subway tile with black grout. There is also a shelf for a laundry hamper out of reach and a nice deep counter for folding clothes and a closet rod for hanging clothes to dry.  Also coat closet and vintage coat hooks for jackets.

LIVING ROOM/DINING ROOM: New millwork and fireplace feature wall with wood cabinetry and steel shelves.  Wall sconces flank sides of the gas fireplace, which is surrounded by mini-scalloped Carrara marble tile.  Brass decorative hardware by Nest Studio, as featured in Elle Décor. Dining Room crystal chandelier from Pottery Barn.

MASTER BEDROOM SUITE: Shiplap walls and wood floor with architectural lighting. Drapes are Belgian opaque linen panels by Restoration Hardware. Dual sinks with vanity area in between topped with Carrara Marble. Oversized Shower with large bench and custom painted vintage clawfoot tub. Custom built and extremely well planned walk-in closet with drawers, shelves and thoughtful storage for clothes, accessories and shoes. Inspired by Jamie King’s closet and topped by Restoration Hardware Pendant.

KIDS ROOMS: Each features their own unique barn door.  One is in reclaimed walnut and the other in reclaimed oak.  Drapery hardware from Restoration Hardware.  Surface mounted light is an industrial cage style with Edison bulbs.

BATHROOMS – Whimsical and fun wallpaper choices and cool sinks and fixtures. Upstairs hall bath features wallpaper by Flavor Paper in Brooklyn Toile – custom color. (designed by Mike Diamond of the Beastie Boys). Main floor powder room features Timorous Beasties wallpaper from Scotland and the sink is a Chinese porcelain vessel sink on a countertop made of live edge Suar wood from Bali, Indonesia with coated finish.

HONEYMOON HOUSE: ORIGINALLY BUILT IN 1905. RESTORED/REMODELED 2016.

This charming one bedroom guest cottage aka Honeymoon House has been lovingly remodeled and restored. Three layers of flooring were removed to get down to the original hardwood floors. Historically, wood floors were patched with tin (there is an original patch in the kitchen area) and Chris used some of the old gutter metal to make some additional patches in the floor to complement. In the bedroom area old newspapers from 1939 and 1940 once used as padding for old linoleum flooring, were repurposed as wallcovering in the bedroom. Shiplap was added to the feature wall that extends from the kitchen to the living room, and the entire cottage was painted white. The living and kitchen area were open up with reclaimed wood shelves and antique brackets. The 1930s vintage sink was re-porcelained and refinished with a new chrome faucet.  Chris made a custom hood using reclaimed oak with a BROAN pro-style range hood.  For the coffee bar, 80 year old box car flooring was used for the countertop with subway tile backsplash. All new appliances including: Whirlpool Dishwasher, GE Artistry Series gas range, LG refrigerator and GE microwave.  Architectural lighting throughout.  Pendant in the kitchen is from RH. Lighting in the hallway is vintage. The washer & dryer is LG front loaders. There is a new (as of 2016) HVAC system with air conditioning and new water heater. The bathroom features Nina Campbell wallpaper with vintage style white and chrome console sink vanity. Mirror, towel ring and French farmhouse light from Restoration Hardware. Clawfoot tub was in the cottage and when we had it re-porcelained we were told it was from the early 1900s. Custom color on the base of the tub to match design concept.  Vintage inspired black and white hex tile floor. Chrome tub/shower faucet from Signature Hardware. Toilet American Standard.

SHOP: The shop / garage has 3 garage doors and is ideal for all sorts of hobbies and vocations including artist, woodworker, musician, shop or auto-enthusiast.  It has a concrete floor, walls and ceilings are insulated and has wood burning stove for heat.  It is also wired for 110v and 220v equipment and has a sink and refrigerator.

HISTORIC MODEL T GARAGE: Currently used as a garden shed, it has been repainted to match rest of buildings and has a new roof.

OFFICE / SHED: Exterior: New paint to match other buildings, new roof.  Interior: New shiplap, painted white.  Traditional glass and chrome chandelier.  Concrete floors.  Built in cabinetry along back wall with roll out tray for printer and walnut countertop.  Electric baseboards provide heat in this small but very usable and private space.

BARN: Previous owner did extensive structural fixes to the barn. The roof is new and Chris rebuilt the cupola on top so water could not get in (not an easy task!).  Antique barn doors from a barn in Berthoud were added on both sides to return it to its original state.  Vintage style café lights inside add a dreamy romantic glow in the evenings.  Gravel was added to the ground (instead of the dirt) making it easier for machines to go in/out and keeps shoes cleaner.  Chris also added extra outlets on the north and east sides of the barn for weddings / event use.  Chris also built a really cool door with reclaimed wood for the east side.  It is believed to be structurally sound and with the new roof, it is in great shape.

LOAFING SHEDS / ANIMALS: The loafing shed has been rebuilt and made predator proof for the chickens and turkeys. There is also an area for the goats and donkeys when it is cold. The animals have a nice (huge!) corral to roam.  There is water and electrical in this area as well.  The lodge pole fence was rebuilt to make room for the beautiful wishing well, which has a stone base with reclaimed framing structure, wood shake top and antique hardware.  There is also an old cattle shoot from the days when they raised cattle on the farm

BATHHOUSE: The bathhouse is newly constructed and designed to look like a shed.  It has brick floors with a door for access to the plumbing, if necessary. The new hot water heater is located in the adjacent shop and it is heated with baseboard heat  Horse trough (new of course!) serves as the tub/shower with black matte shower/tub hardware and custom walnut shower caddy.  The vanity was made from reclaimed oak and a reclaimed sink.  White shiplap in our throughout.  Mid century chandelier from RH.  Custom copper accents by Shutze Studio.

History buffs might be interested to know that this farm was homesteaded in the mid-1860s by Horace Larned.  By 1867, Larned had “proved up” on the land, and in August of that year he received a homestead patent for 160 acres. By the early 1890s, a 120 acre farm here was owned by Angeline Sawdey. The Sawdey family established this farm just after the turn of the twentieth century, and they continued to live here until the early 1950s. The farm rates among Boulder County’s better preserved and most intact farm complexes dating to the early twentieth century. The Sawdey family’s economic progression is shown by a small original house, known as the “Honeymoon House”, built circa 1905, which was left standing after a larger two-story home was built a few years later. Among several farm buildings listed on a 1948 appraisal card, only a chicken coop is no longer standing. Moreover, only two loafing sheds and a workshop are less than fifty years old. Evidently constructed in the early 1960s, these structures demonstrate the farm’s progression of utilitarian farm buildings into the late twentieth century.

For more information or to schedule a private showing, please contact

Leyla Steele 303-859-3110 home@leylasteele.com