By Gretchen A. Peck

Compass Realtor Jennifer Erno is the listing agent for 90 Cedar Lane in Griswold. It’s a lakefront home, with compelling features—two large decks, two gas fireplaces, hardwood floors, a two-car garage, water views and a private beach and dock on Pachaug Pond. The owner is asking $825,000 for the property.

Dianne Grenier and her husband were in search of a special place to build their dream home—a house that would accommodate their growing family, where kids and grandkids would come for visits and make memories to last a lifetime.

They found this 0.79-acre lot, with frontage on the lake, in 2001. The lot was natural and forested, so it first had to be cleared before they could begin construction of the 2,968-square-foot house.

One of the first things you’ll notice about the architecture is how they created a true indoor-outdoor living environment. There are two expansive levels of decks overlooking the yard that leads to the water’s edge. They afford an abundance of space to place seating areas and dining furnishings. The deck off the house’s main level is “humongous,” Erno pointed out. In fact, it accommodated a wedding reception hosted by the Grenier family.

The waterfront perspective was taken into consideration when planning out the interior floor plans, as well. There are water views from many of the rooms, including the living room and sunroom.

They created a kitchen that was seamlessly integrated into the open-plan concept. It has hardwood cabinets, a center island, two exposures of windows, plenty of space for two dining tables, and a gas fireplace to make the dining areas especially inviting.

There’s a full bath and a bonus room on the first floor. The placement of the bathroom, near an exterior side door, was strategic. It allows the owners and their guests to enjoy the lake and come right into the bathroom to rinse off.

The bonus space would be well-suited to a home office, the homeowner suggested; however, for their family, it was better used as a playroom and storage space for the children’s toys. There’s a second space on the upper level, where the children could go and play. As they grew older, they added a few beds to the space, to accommodate sleepovers.

“We added that room so the kids could go up and play drums or basketball. Now, you can have five or six kids sleep in that room,” she said. For a buyer, it affords flexibility; perhaps it could be a home office, a creative space, secondary family room or media/gaming room.

All the bedrooms are on the second floor. Just outside of the primary bedroom suite, there’s a built-in window seat that looks out to the lake. The primary bedroom has a high vaulted ceiling, a bathroom with a jetted tub, and French doors that open out to the second-level deck.

One of the other bedrooms also has exterior access to the deck. She remarked what a special setting that deck provides, both in the mornings and evenings. Her daughter, who resided in the second bedroom with deck access, used to practice yoga on the deck just outside her bedroom.

“When we were first building my home, I was at a local tile place, and I began speaking with a woman who was an artist. She was starting a business of her own. She asked if she might visit our house to see what we were building. I said, ‘sure,’ because she was so very friendly. I ended up hiring her to hand paint some rooms in the house. You’ll see her work in the kitchen and my bedroom.”

Being lakefront makes for some spectacular views, especially of coastal birds as they soar above the lapping waters. But the lake setting is also about a lifestyle. Grenier said that residents leverage the lake in any number of ways—swimming, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and navigating the waters by way of pontoon boats. It’s a relatively shallow 841-acre lake, with 10 coves and a boat launch.

Every July 4th, there are celebrations on its shores. Fireworks light up the sky, and the smell of roasting marshmallows wafts through the breeze. At Christmastime, they have a lighted boat parade, with Santa aboard one of the vessels.

Grenier noted that the property is close to many regional destinations, including the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods resorts and casinos, the Buttonwood Farm—the sunflower capital of Connecticut—and Wicked Tulips Flower Farm.

“I think we found the perfect place,” she reflected on the home she cherished more than 20 years.

Property: 90 Cedar Ln., Griswold

Bedrooms: 3

Baths: 3

Square Footage: 2,968

Acreage: 0.79

Asking Price: $825,000

Listing Agent: Jennifer Erno, Compass Connecticut; Mobile: (860) 460-7305; jennifer.erno@compass.com