The Luxury Space
A few words from Tony Cutugno
“If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own back yard.” — Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz
What rides in upon November winds is not only the quintessential American feast of Thanksgiving, but deep-seated yearnings for home. All at once in a festive mood, we’re suddenly enhancing our personal spaces with poetic table settings or floral dreamscapes in a doorway. Whimsy is also at play---in either grand colorful gestures or tiny flourishes--- in the Private Brokerage properties featured on these pages.
One of my very few true idols, antiques collector and decorator Furlow Gatewood, was the master of the enchanted universe. Throughout his own picturesque estate in Georgia, as author Julia Reed observed “things of only the utmost beauty or interest or soul are allowed”. Gatewood’s fearless mix of styles and periods “worked” because of his remarkable and unerring sense of proportion. His sense of fantasy was embodied in his 40 spectacular pet peacocks who could be seen gliding around the garden. This month’s selection, Reed’s One Man’s Folly: The Exceptional Houses of Furlow Gatewood, is my tribute to Gatewood, who passed away last month at the age of 101. Talk about a classic. His exquisite sensibility will continue to have a lasting impact on the design world. I hope you might escape into each chapter in this book and savor some of the visual feasts featured in our Private Brokerage properties just as much as I did.
On the cover: 24 Broad Street, Kinderhook, NY listed by Andrew Gates
A fantasy realm for farmers, riders or hunters: a property that magically transforms from 558 acres of level dry terrain, extensive trails, pastures and meadows into a nature preserve punctuated with multiple ponds ---to the delight of local waterfowl. The secret is a sustainable, state of the art series of water impoundments.
A View from Every Room
In your own world, with your head in the clouds? Exactly where you want to be! Nearly every room in this unique three—level contemporary features walls of glass opening to length-of-the-house terraces that provide commanding views of the ever-changing Hudson River. Ancient Chinese doors, turn-of-the-century circular spiral iron staircase, and a crow’s nest work from home office reinforce the mythic power.
The Great Escape
Let there be ingenious lighting is the mantra of this exceptional 19th century farmhouse. A contemporary mobile light fixture floats above the open-plan kitchen while an immense antler chandelier adds a touch of fierce to the living room. Both deftly illuminate the original gleaming hard wood floors and refined rustic furnishings.
“One day, you will be old enough to start reading fairytales again,” wrote C.S. Lewis in the dedication to his epic Chronicles of Narnia. And what better place to read them than in a princess-style canopy bed while you gaze out the window at spellbinding vistas? This country colonial merges the enchantment of a rustic setting with the magic of eclectic appointments.
PRIVATE BROKERAGE BOOKSHELF
"One Man’s Folly: The Exceptional Houses of Furlow Gatewood" by Julia Reed
When it comes to interiors style, antiques, and Southern vernacular architecture, Furlow Gatewood is a one-of-akind classic-this book presents his magical private enclave for the first time. Antiques expert Furlow Gatewood’s highly personal property in bucolic Americus, Georgia, where he has meticulously restored his family’s carriage house and added intimate dwellings and outbuildings-several rescued from demolition-has evolved over decades to become a sublime expression of stylish living. The structures exemplify various architectural traditions-from mid-nineteenth-century Gothic to Palladian. He has collaborated with local craftsmen to create these follies and takes delight in designing the picturesque grounds and plantings and in devising comfortable areas for his beloved dogs and peacocks. A gifted designer and longtime associate of antiques dealer John Rosselli, Gatewood has a talent for discovering singular pieces with a poetic patina, composing custom paint finishes and subtle palettes, and knowing how to incorporate distinctive architectural elements. To accompany the book’s atmospheric images, close friend Bunny Williams writes about the lessons she has learned from this master of discernment. Gatewood’s seductive and hospitable Arcadian oasis, with its exquisite and timeless design, will have an enduring impact on the design community.
ANTHONY P. CUTUGNO
Senior Vice President Director of Private Brokerage O. 914 234 0308 M. 914.582.7789
ACutugno@HoulihanLawrence.com @apcutugno359 | @hlprivatebrokerage