By George Upton
For a stud farm
This seven-bedroom property in Brandenburg, 35km north-west of Berlin, consists of a manor house, renovated between 2013 and 2020 in accordance with the building’s preservation order, and a stud farm with several outbuildings, including stables and covered riding arenas. The house currently has several separate residential units, which can be connected, large communal areas with period details, and a winter garden that looks out over mature parkland and an avenue of plane trees. It is on the market for €10mn-€14mn.
For a city mansion
Built in 1887, this five-bedroom villa overlooks the Kobe Garden in the west of the Latvian capital, Riga. Commissioned for the owner of a local rubber factory and used as the dormitory of a medical school after the Second World War, the property was abandoned in 1992 but sensitively restored in 1999. On the market for €6.9mn, the villa features original details such as mosaic parquet flooring and stained-glass windows, and includes stately reception and dining rooms, an indoor swimming pool and a winter garden that gives access to a terrace.
For an English garden
This eight-bedroom house in Belgium, near the border with the Netherlands, has a winter garden with wall paintings and a wood-burning stove; it leads out onto a large terrace and large English-park style garden. The historic property has 100-year-old ceiling and wall paintings throughout the house and authentic Louis XIV fireplaces; however, it has also been modernised. Solar panels and batteries are due to be fitted to allow the house to be powered independently from the grid. It is on the market for €1.495mn.
For a private oasis
The winter garden in this six-bedroom house in Rio de Janeiro, accessed from the large, double-height living and dining room, provides an intimate and tranquil alternative to the expansive ocean views to the front of the property. From here, where there is a private garden, swimming pool and jacuzzi, residents have direct access to a beach that is shared with only four other homes. The property, which is on the market for R$14.9mn ($3mn), includes a cinema and games room and a kitchen with a wood-fired oven. All six bedrooms have private balconies that look out over the water.
For a modern villa
This four-bedroom property in Tuscany (also main picture, top) is centred around a double-height winter garden that connects the communal areas with the bedrooms in the main house. There is a first-floor dining space that benefits from views over the rolling countryside, while an adjacent loft has additional space to entertain and accommodate guests. The property is set within 16ha of land that includes a forest and an olive grove, and there is a saltwater swimming pool. It is a short drive from the Terme di Saturnia — thermal springs where the water is around 37.5°C — so, just as with the winter garden, you can immerse yourself in nature all year round. It is on the market for €4.1-4.5mn.
Photographs: Lionard Luxury Real Estate; Riga Sotheby’s International Realty; Berlin Sotheby’s International Realty; Bossa Nova Sotheby’s International Realty; Christies International Real Estate