The Luxury Space
SEPTEMBER 2023 ISSUE
An exodus! How else to describe the departure of biblical proportions of luxury buyers from cities to suburbs and beyond, to rural countryside—all during Covid? Case in point: Photographer William Abranowicz, long a resident of the horsey, historical town of Bedford (where Private Brokerage has its headquarters) traded Bedford-bucolic for bucolic further afield when he built a stylish, environmentally-attuned house on 36 rocky hillside acres in the Catskills. He soon learned he wasn’t alone; here, in his newfound neck of the woods, were museum directors, architects, antique dealers, finance types, and chefs opting to create exquisite dwellings for themselves in environments known for clean air, space to roam, panoramic views of sculptural cliffs and pin-drop quiet, except for birdsong. Naturally, the Architectural Digest contributor sniffed a story and the result is his just-released Country Life: Homes of the Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley. Our beloved HV is not only the birthplace of the American environmental movement but a mecca for meticulously-kept historic homes. “Continuity can be more radical than re-invention,” Abranowicz observes when he comes upon an antique home that’s been exquisitely preserved rather than totally renovated. In this sense, we are complete kindred spirits. The listings we chose to feature in the September Luxury Space are all within settings where one can live quietly and close to the land; some are historic, others conceived as instant classics. The dining room of a beautifully restored Greek Revival farmhouse near Hudson features original plank floors and fireplace, plus a landscape mural rendered in the style of the itinerant Hudson Valley painters. A contemporary farmhouse in Millbrook is perfectly in sync with the 19th century guesthouse and two working barns. A cool contemporary in Irvington features a tiered roof top terrace while, as you sip cocktails, all you see are the tops of the trees and a seasonal view of the Hudson River. Whatever your element of choice—earth, wind, or air—you’ll be in your element with a fine house in the country. “Of all the paths you chose in life,” advised 19th century naturalist John Muir, “make sure a few of them are dirt.”
A few words from Tony Cutugno
“All good things are wild and free.”
— Henry David ThoreauOn the cover: 70-98 Ryan Road, Pine Plains, NY listed by Andrew Gates
Taking lessons from the past and bringing them into the future
A 21st century Bedford manor employs tradition in a thoroughly modern way: Southern style covered verandas that allow for personal panoramas of the garden and reclaimed treasures from iconic Rockefeller and Vanderbilt estate that lend a gravitas and glamour that money can’t buy.
How to do justice to the incomparable pastoral charm of 172 private acres in Amenia? Enlist a world-renowned architect to build a contemporary farmhouse that embodies simplicity, space and light with farmland views that enrich the spirit.
Nature subdues all human works (and vanities)
The designation “equestrian estate” suggests a property where not only human but equine endeavors are cultivated. Equal thought given to the comfortably luxe home with pastoral vistas and the sensational 8-stall stable with direct access to an extensive network of riding trails.
A retreat for urban transplants seeking clean air and space to roam
Besides the air always being cleaner at higher elevations, the hilltop estate known as Shale Hill offers soul-stirring views of the Berkshire and 43 private acres to hike, ride your horse or ATV or wander through your apple orchard, picking treasures for a scrumptious pie.
Treetop living footsteps to the village
The absolute best of both: a sleek contemporary by a celebrated Brazilian architect offers warm natural materials, cool high-tech finishes and a ravishing roof-top terrace perched high in the trees from where you’ll savor views of the charming village and legendary Hudson waterfront.
Three Oaks
51 Craryville Road | Craryville, NY
Stewardship of the land and an historical home
A sophisticated classical beauty in the heart of the country? All it takes is a deft re-imagining of the Greek Revival farmhouse by a design firm like Wagner Van Dam and an elegantly casual landscape of ponds, bridges, wildflowers (nothing formal!) based on nature’s own elegance.
by William Abranowicz
Senior Vice President