The Point House at 5 Water Street has a quintessential setting in Stonington’s harbor on Long Island Sound. The historic residence borders the Stonington Light House and was built in 1908 for the lighthouse keeper. The house has had two major revisions in the past 25 years. In 2002 a structural redesign was done by the architect Oliver Cope and a landscape design by Peter Cummin. In 2008 the internationally renowned architect Peter Marino had the vision to create the interior to reflect the Sardinian Yacht Club Costa Esmeralda, a project he had completed in 2003. The house has water views to the East, South, and West, and takes full advantage of the beautiful reach of its .67 acreage on the water and its prime location on The Point in Stonington Borough. Access to the property is a gracious parking forecourt befitting the home’s vintage and framed by low stone walls and plantings of boxwood and evergreens. On the left of the forecourt, the architectural presence of the house is revealed; four trellises of Rosa 'America' draw the eye up to an arbor of decades-old cascading wisteria that underscores the stately paned fenestration that is part of the home’s 15-foot-high great room. At the end of the forecourt, a vignette appears through the gate opening. Upon stepping through, the expansive back lawn meets the shoreline and captures a horizon that hosts views of Fishers Island, Watch Hill, and on clear days, Block Island and Montauk. Glorious specimen trees at the near and far corners frame the vista. American holly, beach rose, Northern bayberry, and a touch of mountain laurel are rhythmically placed along the border and lead to the honey locust tree and the commanding extension of its higher branches overlooking the water. In the turn to walk back toward the house, the perfect harmony of the architecture and garden spaces shows its quiet elegance. A European beech tree holds court by virtue of its stunning bark and crown of copper leaves. To the back left, beautifully sculpted tiers of mounded boxwood flank stone steps that ascend to the colonnaded porch and another coveted overlook of the inlet. Plantings of lamb’s ear and catmint add touches of color and texture. To the right, the rectangular swimming pool lends a perfect geometric element to ground the bi-level seating and dining areas, resulting in ideal elevations for a variety of cast and clay planters that display a profusion of the soft hues of hydrangea in summer. A pillow of roses that rests on a terrace above the pool is an invitation to enjoy a moment or an hour to savor the panoramic view—it is one of the owners’ favorite spots. A bed of peonies is the beginning of the delightful discovery of a gate on the side of the house that opens to a ribbon garden, considered to be another small haven by the owners. Ferns, dwarf boxwood, evergreens, Japanese snowbells, and hosta set the stage as the footpath rounds to the front entrance of the house. Clay pots of baptisia accent the beautiful millwork of the newel posts as the stairs ascend to the full-length front porch. Antique garden ornaments and urns lend a timeless quality to this setting and serve to recall the history of the property. There are many lovely contrasting and complementary textures, colors, shapes, and proportions in this garden area, among them a sprawling apple tree at the curved steps that provides luscious blossoms in early spring along with a gorgeous crepe myrtle tree with exfoliated bark and blossoms that can hold for 60+ days. A Bradford pear tree adds to the canopy and deutzia flourishes as the stairs return to the forecourt. With the four seasons as a guide, the inherent beauty and tranquility at Point House have been nurtured by the owners, who have made it a seaside jewel and coastal retreat to be enjoyed throughout the year. - Contributed by Joanne Caldara