This week's mansion is an understated but elegant brick beauty with enough room for your basketball team-sized family and enough amenities that you might not ever want to leave home.

This week, Maryland Mansions explores Westover, a Washington Fine Properties listing in Bethesda, Maryland, that's on the market for $17.5 million. Even if it were an old shack in the woods, the location would make this a spectacular property. Sitting right on the Potomac River, there are beautiful, sweeping views from most spots on the property. Also, the house isn't a shack—it is a fabulous combination of entertaining space and family comfort packed into an elegant brick mansion at 6699 MacArthur Blvd, Bethesda, MD.

The mansion sits on two acres of beautiful river-front property with gated entry, and it is close to, but not in, D.C. The driveway leads to a large motor court, complete with a basketball hoop so that a pick-up game with your friends will never require leaving the comforts of home again. Adjacent to the motor court is a very generous two-car garage, which also houses the utility room and connects to the kitchen through a mudroom entrance. The mudroom also leads to a sizable side patio, which connects to the back patios via stone stairs.

The main entrance features a covered porch area which leads to the foyer through elegant double doors. Once through the vestibule, the foyer is spacious and beautiful, with herringbone pattern hardwood floors and two grand staircases that sweep up either side. The rest of the foyer opens into a large hall the leads to the back patio. The dining room connects to this area on the left, and the living room connects on the right. Beyond the dining room is a kitchen that any chef would adore, featuring built-in cabinets, an oversized island with a sink, a double range with two ovens, and a walk-in pantry. The kitchen connects to a round sunroom that is perfectly sized for a breakfast nook and looks out over the side yard through floor-to-ceiling windows. Beyond the sunroom is a large family room that features a stunning fireplace and walks out on to the upper back patio, which overlooks the pool.

Traveling to the other side of the house, the living room features another fireplace and walks out onto the back patio as well. Beyond the living room is a small wet bar room that leads to a secluded study. The study also walks out to the upper back patio, and it includes a gas fireplace and built-in bookshelves. In addition to these living and entertaining spaces, the main level also includes a walk-in closet, two powder rooms, and two additional staircases, one that leads to the lower level and another that leads to both the lower and upper levels.

The upper level houses most of the home's bedrooms and bathrooms. The main double-staircase from the foyer opens into a hallway and an unassuming library. While not huge, it features lots of built-in shelves and double doors that open onto a small balcony that looks down on the patio, pool, and river beyond. To the right of the library are three of the home's bedrooms, each with an attached, private bathroom and walk-in closet. In addition to these rooms, there is also a sitting room that connects to the secondary staircase and provides attic access. This sitting room is small by the standards of this house, but at over 144 square feet, it is still a fully usable room.

The left side of the upper floor includes another bedroom (again with a private bath and walk-in closet) and the master suite. This suite connects to the main hallway through a private sitting room, includes two separate full baths, and three walk-in closets. The full master bath is larger than most bedrooms (and many D.C. apartments) and it includes a huge tub and separate shower. The bedroom proper has a gas fireplace, a private balcony, and many windows that overlook the side and back of the property. There are also multiple linen closets and a small laundry room on this level (so you don't have to cart your laundry all the way to the basement).

Speaking of the basement, the lowest level of this home is truly more than just a basement. It features a billiards room, a gym with attached half-bath, a rec room with a wet bar and a fireplace, a wine cellar with built-in seating, and an additional room that could be either a den or another suite (with an attached, private full bath and closets, of course). There is also a large laundry room on this level. Most of the rooms walk out onto the covered lower back patio, which includes both built-in fire pit and grill areas and opens onto the large pool area. This patio and pool area looks out over the river and includes staircases on either side to access the other upper patio areas.

At just under 12,000 square feet, this home offers almost everything the discerning homeowner looks for in a mansion, and anything that is missing certainly could be added, given the space available. With subtle sophistication, this home offers space to entertain, space to relax, and space to play.

What do you think of this Maryland mansion? Let us know in the comments!

*Images courtesy of Bright MLS and Washington Fine Properties