The current owners of this Gothic Revival country manor, as seen in this listing photo, carried out a major renovation of the property that involved constructing a new wing.
Photo-Illustration: Curbed; Photo: Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty
Part of living in New York City is thinking about moving out of New York City. Each month, we’ll round up the best listings within commuting-ish distance, places where entire houses go for the cost of a “junior one-bedroom” (or less), but you’ll have to fix your own toilet.
This month, we found some architectural marvels upstate, including a Gothic Revival homestead in Germantown and an Italianate residence in Hudson that might be haunted (but worth it).
Six bedrooms, five bathrooms; $4,500,000
Many of the rooms throughout this Gothic Revival farmhouse in Germantown, as shown in this listing photo, look out on the property’s rollicking gardens.
Photo: Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty
A country escape in Germantown with sage-green trim and gables galore. The farmhouse on this 3.5-acre property was built by a ship captain in the mid-1800s and has since passed through a handful of families (including a horticulturalist who worked with the New York Botanical Garden). Which is why, per its listing agent, the space had descended into “a veritable rabbit warren of incohesive additions and styles.” The current owners took it upon themselves to overhaul the interior and tie it all together, in addition to constructing a new north wing. That means a sweet kitchen with Arabescato marble countertops, a built-in breakfast nook, and a Lacanche range, which leads to a lovely dining room that looks out on the English gardens–inspired grounds (think dotted pear trees, raspberry bushes, and, yes, a dining pergola). There’s a lap pool, too, of course. A tall fireplace anchors the living room, and the new primary suite is stocked with a pair of walk-in closets plus a spacious bath with a soaking tub and shower. It’s pretty damn charming.
How do I get back to the city?
It’s a little over a two-and-a-half-hour drive.
So what do I do if I live there?
Chat with locals over cones at Valley Harvest Ice Cream & Grill; drop into Tousey Winery and Hudson Valley Distillers, which are located near each other; catch some bass at Ernest R. Lasher Jr. Memorial Park.
Four bedrooms, five bathrooms; $1,700,000
As seen in this listing photo, this 19th-century Italianate has been restored and is filled with delightful details including herringbone floors and crown molding.
Photo: Compass
Does this late-19th-century Italianate look like it could have been ripped from the set of What We Do in the Shadows (RIP)? Sure. But the three-story home is anything but dilapidated. It has been restored and it’s sprawling, with delicious details almost everywhere you look — ceilings with crown molding, wide-plank floors in the living spaces, herringbone floors in the eat-in kitchen, and arched lattice windows on the upper floors. The grand wood staircase spirals up to the bedrooms on the top two floors, where there are some scenic river views that make up for possibly having ghosts as your housemates. It’s also ideally located — just a few blocks from Warren Street, which is Hudson’s main street.
How do I get back to the city?
It’s a roughly two-and-a-half-hour drive, or two hours and 15 minutes via Amtrak.
So what do I do if I live there?
It’s just a ten-minute walk to Henry Hudson Riverfront Park across the tracks. You can go hiking in the High Falls Conservation Area, which is a 17-minute drive away; knock back a few Kolsches at Union Street Brewing Co; and there’s always furniture and homewares shopping on Warren, too.
Four bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms; $1,850,000
As seen in this listing photo, this Rhinebeck four-bedroom has some strong modern-farmhouse energy.
Photo: Upstate Down
A relatively new-build brick home with strong modern-farmhouse energy. This four-bedroom has an airy, double-height main space anchored by a double-sided fireplace that splits the dining and sunken sitting areas. It’s not exactly clear what’s going on with the oak beam trusses flanking the fireplace that, per the listing, “add warmth and character,” but we appreciate the skylights that bathe the chef’s kitchen in great light. The abundance of oversize windows scattered throughout will make you feel like you’ve been thrust right into the woodlands surrounding you, but with the creature comforts of central air and geothermal heating. In the main bedroom, the floor-to-ceiling picture window is an especially nice touch. The property also has a separate lofted apartment with its own kitchen and private entrance, so I’m guessing we’ll see it on Airbnb soon.
How do I get back to the city?
It’s just under a two-and-a-half-hour drive.
So what do I do if I live there?
Go camping in Ferncliff Forest; throw some clay at Hudson Valley Pottery.
Three bedrooms, one-and-a-half bathrooms; $595,000
This 19th-century Colonial in Malden Bridge, as seen in this listing photo, has been renovated and gets plenty of light in the living room.
Photo: Sotheby’s International Realty
Look, for just under $600,000 these days, you’d mostly have to settle for a one-bedroom in Park Slope that looks out at a brick wall. On the other hand, you could buy a stately renovated (!) 1830 Colonial on nearly an acre of land and lean into the hamlet life by starting your own beekeeping operation. The eat-in kitchen has your usual niceties — a stainless-steel farmhouse sink, quartz counters, a walk-in pantry — while the three bedrooms upstairs all are comfortably sized. If you are losing your mind with the adjustment to upstate living, the basement currently holds a home gym where you can work some things out. An added bonus is the storybook-worthy barn, which has enough room for a car and workshop but also a living area upstairs for visiting friends and family to crash.
How do I get back to the city?
It’s a two-hour, 45-minute drive.
So what do I do if I live there?
Take a yoga class at Malden Bridge Community Center across the street, where you can brag about your bees. The town itself has plenty to do, though, and the Wilson M. Powell Wildlife Sanctuary is only a seven-minute drive away.