Diane Sawyer is selling her 'legendary' Martha’s Vineyard compound for $24 million – 28 years after she purchased the home for $5.3 million with her late husband, Mike Nichols.
The celebrated broadcast journalist purchased the 20-acre estate in 1995, but the coastal home already had a history of celebrity ownership. Legendary stage actress Katharine Cornell previously owned the neo-classical property in the 1940s – during which time she entertained a host of power figures from Noel Coward to Eleanor Roosevelt to Laurence Olivier.
After purchasing the home, named Chip Chop, the Good Morning America host and director maintained the actress's tradition of hosting the nation’s cultural and political cognoscenti.
Somewhere between their careers and house parties, Diane and Mike found time to restore the home in such a way as to preserve its understated elegant roots set by architect Eric Gugler.
Listing agent Mark Jenkins of Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty explains that the couple maintained the home 'meticulously' – meaning it remains 'in impeccable condition' today.
'Supremely stylish and yet consummately casual, this legendary property has no equal on Martha's Vineyard and could never be recreated,' the agent adds. It is among the most historic properties on the prestigious Massachusetts island – and one of the world's best homes currently on the market.
Designed for entertaining (as Katharine Cornell, Diane Sawyer, and Mike Nichols intended), this property is suited for holding large gatherings of family and friends. The estate comprises nine bedrooms and multiple guest homes, including two modern beach cottages known as 'The Shacks', which offer some of the most beautiful water views on Martha's Vineyard.
Inside the home, evidence of the couple's restorative efforts is best seen through the raw wood beams, ceilings, and wall panelings that dominate the main house. The living room also boasts floor-to-ceiling windows that fill the area with natural light and accentuate the views across Lake Tashmoo.
There are several porches and lounging decks stretching around the property, most significantly the main patio that plays host to the swimming pool. Other notable amenities include the tennis court which is discretely nestled in a private corner of the property.
A mile of private shoreline also surrounds the estate, including 2000 feet of sandy beach on the unspoiled swimming waters of Vineyard Sound – and a large swath of sandy beach on Lake Tashmoo.
While we can't all (sadly) spend $24 million on a Martha's Vineyard home of our own, we can still replicate some of its most stylish decor features – and this book (available via Amazon below) is the failsafe starting point.
