Architecture Wednesday: Storybook Home

Straddling the border between the Hudson Valley and the Berkshires, this not-so-tiny house comes with all the hallmarks of a fairytale summer property.

Built in 1875, it has the wood-sided gables and deep verandah of a period home, with established gardens that burst forth from the half-acre property, visited by birds and butterflies. And yet its 1,200 square feet easily make space for two bedrooms, two bathrooms, an office and eat-in kitchen. The living space has super-high ceilings and a gas fireplace, leading out to a sunroom converted from the old porch. Clever nooks hide a laundry room, pantry and energy-efficient upgrades like a full-house generator and air conditioning,

Outside are wildflower gardens, vegetable planters and an outdoor living area with a kitchen with outbuildings that include a chicken coop and it can be yours for just $480,000.

The Space

Architecture Wednesday: 1800s Farmhouse

This 1880s farmhouse feels like a discovered treasure, tucked away in a secret hillside meadow of wild apple trees in the rolling terrain of the Catskills. And yet the eleven acre estate is minutes from town and less than two hours from Manhattan.

You enter through the mudroom into an open plan kitchen, dining, and living room that flows as one continuous space. The chef's kitchen—designed by the owner and restaurateur—centers on a Viking range within an oversized island, complemented by a farmhouse sink and butcher block countertops.

In the dining area, open to a side porch, reclaimed pine wide-plank floors unify the entire ground floor while the living room is centered around a wood-burning stove, with a short hallway leading to a shared first floor bathroom featuring a walk-in shower; a guest bedroom is located on the ground floor with its own wood stove for cozy evenings and a convenient desk space.

Upstairs on the second level, the three bedrooms share a bathroom with walk-in shower and soaking tub. The primary bedroom has been upgraded to include three closets and a work from home space; in fact each bedroom features generous closet space, uncommon in historical farmhouses. A finished third-story game room and home theater caps the layout—sizable in footprint yet tucked away, perfect for movie nights or creative projects.

Outside a classic wraparound porch captures sunlight throughout the day, while wisteria climbs the pergola. Just outside the kitchen is an outdoor dining table, flanked by stone walls built into the hillside.

A custom fire pit area and seating area is carved into the meadow’s gentle slope with a meandering path leading upward to a wood-fired hot tub. Beyond this, the parklike meadow preserves a wild apple orchard that leads to a large barn—the property's creative crown jewel. The lower level houses a Polaris ATV—included in sale—and provides perfect storage for outdoor gear, motorcycles, and more. The main floor features a statement plexiglass wall that floods the space light and making the barn ready for transforming to a guest space or work from home area.

It's updated, yet historic, peaceful and yet close to New York City.

Dwell

Architecture Wednesday: FarmHouse, BeachHouse

Either way it’s a new house with an old soul and a one-of-a-kind Rockport retreat, a mere block from Fulton Beach Rd and daily sunrises over Aransas Bay. The house sits on two and a half acres, set back from the street with a tree-lined private drive. Pulling up you'll immediately feel a sense of tranquility and likely be greeted by some of the abundant wildlife that also calls this land home.

The home allows one to feel connected with the landscape from every room. Every detail showcases creativity in design—vintage, antique and eclectic objects along with repurposed materials and fixtures that all have personal stories. Walking through the front door, the living-dining-kitchen great room has vaulted reclaimed barn wood ceilings, white-washed shiplap walls, and concrete floors. The barn wood is echoed in the kitchen cabinet fronts, with open upper shelving, an old butcher block embedded in the island, and a vintage family farm sink. Off the kitchen is what the owners like to call their "shipping and receiving" room, where a whirlwind of activities get managed and processed—mail, groceries, laundry, pet grooming, and of course entertaining.

There are three bedrooms and three bathrooms in this 2,515 square foot home; the first guest bedroom has a private entrance from the front porches, where an outdoor shower completes the full hallway bath. A second guest room has an ensuite full bath and special play loft. The large primary bedroom features double doors leading out to the pool or onto a private back porch. Both the guest and primary baths feature board-formed concrete showers and tubs, and the primary bath shower features custom Mexican cement tile.

The flow of indoor and outdoor living is unparalleled, with almost 2,500 square feet of covered porches including a 40 foot-tall screened pool “barn.” With plenty of space for grilling, dining, and relaxing, the space allows for year-round outdoor living and panoramic views of iconic windswept oaks.

No details were missed in creating this oasis, including a 1000-gallon stainless steel rainwater cistern system with pump, hurricane impact glass doors and windows, and standing seam metal roof. An additional acre is available to purchase if a buyer chooses … after you plunk down $1.67 million for the home!

Dwell