Rose McWaid, a Realtor with the Old Saybrook brokerage of William Raveis Real Estate, newly listed the four-bedroom farmhouse-style colonial at 1 Collins Lane in Essex. She joined her clients — Ian Douglas and Kristin Harris — on a Zoom video call with Welcome Home in anticipation of the property's market debut. A job had brought the couple to southeast Connecticut — not just any job. In 2009, Ian Douglas was elected as the 15th Episcopal Bishop of Connecticut.

They hoped for a near-water home, but towns along the Long Island Sound seemed a bit too far for a commute to Hartford, to Rev. Douglas' office. That led them to look along the Connecticut River, and Harris recalled spotting a village on an aerial map, complete with a harbor and lots of sailboats. She zoomed in a little further for her first introduction to Essex.

"We really wanted a house that we could relax in, which was gracious enough for family events and dinners and entertaining. ... Having space for (our children) when they returned to visit was important," she recalled.

Built in 2005, the 2,744-square-foot house was still relatively new and turnkey when they acquired it, so they haven't had to do much in the way of improvements nor updates. But they did add a few features: an outdoor shower, solar panels, insulation and a German-engineered on-demand hot water system.

"We're actually very committed to trying to be as good a steward of our Earth as we can, so we have made a philosophical commitment to energy efficiency and trying to reduce our carbon footprint," Douglas explained.

Their annual electric bill, prior to the solar installation, was roughly $1,700 a year; now, it's less than $250 each year, they reported.

The main level comprises a foyer, an eat-in kitchen that shares an open plan with the great room-style living and dining area; a powder room; and a bedroom with an en-suite bath and walk-in closet, which the owners leveraged as an office. A bonus space in the partially finished lower level might be used for additional office space, as a media/family room, or perhaps a space for exercise or yoga.

Upstairs on the second floor, there are three additional bedrooms, including the primary bedroom suite. It, too, has a private bath and a walk-in closet. The second-floor laundry is centrally located.

The night before the sellers spoke with Welcome Home, they'd celebrated a milestone birthday for Harris. "Because of the pandemic, we invited one couple over, and one of my favorite things about the kitchen is that we can invite friends over, and they sit at the counter, and then we spend an hour and half cooking dinner and having hors d'oeuvres. ... We just had the nicest time cooking and talking. It's a wonderful kitchen for that.

"Both of us like to cook, and there's plenty of space for both of us to be cooking and entertaining and talking to our friends," she said.

"It's nice to have the cooktop, which is propane, right on the island, so people can sit and have hors d'oeuvres while cooking, and be looking at each other rather than having our backs turned to them," Douglas added. The kitchen is a warm, inviting space, with wood cabinetry, granite surfaces and stainless appliances, including two convection ovens.

Just as they'd hoped, the house became the setting for so many special occasions, including holidays with sit-down dinners for 20 guests, followed by a family-favorite walk into Essex Village following the meals.

Not only did they have the luxury of expanding the great-room style eating area, they also had the outdoor living spaces — an expansive wraparound porch and a stone patio, where they'd dine alfresco, grill and smoke meats. They recalled spending time on the covered porch every day, and often enjoyed breakfasts there, where they can drink in the view of the river and out across a meadow on the neighbor's property. The setting attracts magnificent birds, they couple attested — from regal blue herons to majestic bald eagles.

Right at the end of the street is a public launch. "We can literally take our kayaks and in five minutes be on them in the water," he said.

"We kayaked every month of the year," he added.

The location is compelling from a number of perspectives. It's within walking distance to Essex's charming village; it's easy to get to commuting routes, and it's just a two-hour drive in either direction to Boston or New York City.

"As Bishop, I'm on the road all the time. It's a pretty high-pressure job, and we have 155 parishes. I drive from parish to parish — from Pomfret to Greenwich to Litchfield Hills to Stonington. So, this location was excellent, right off I-95 and Rte. 9. It was centrally located to most of the parishes, which was great," he said. "The wonderful thing is that, as soon as I arrived home, it was like a vacation experience."

He shared an example of what the location afforded: "The very first Confirmation I had, which was a Saturday celebration in Hartford, I drove home. Having driven all week, I parked the car and Kristen and I went with our kayaks and took a nice long kayak ride. We came back and walked our dog into town to the boat show. ... We walked home to shower, and then walked back into town to 'the Gris' to the wine bar for a tapas dinner, before a lovely walk home. You can have a full weekend experience — kayaking, boating, dining out, dog walking — and never have to get in the car."

They appreciated having the Griswold Inn, "the Gris," close by, as well as a local marina and yacht club, a barber, the library, a pet supply store, Town Hall, Main Street shopping and St. John's Church.

Harris added, "Southeastern Connecticut is the most wonderful place I've ever lived. ... It's been restorative to live here."

A public open house at 1 Collins Lane is planned for Sunday, March 13, 2022, from 1 to 3 p.m.

Property: 1 Collins Lane, Essex

Bedrooms: 3

Baths: 4

Square Footage: 2,744

Acreage: 0.48

Asking Price: $950,000

Seller's Agent: Rose McWaid, William Raveis Real Estate, Old Saybrook; Mobile: (860) 573-0667; rose.mcwaid@raveis.com