Setting & History
Down a long meandering driveway, just around the corner from the exquisite Clermont Historic Estate, lies Barnswood, a strapping country compound on eight sprawling acres.
The grounds at Barnswood were once part of the extensive Livingston estate established in the 1600s, and were reunited with the Livingston family at the turn of the 20th century when Alice Delafield Clarkson Livingston and her husband, John Henry Livingston, the very last stewards of Clermont Manor, purchased the land and had it transformed into a thriving farmstead.
To this day, the property remains abundant with ancient trees, century-old meadows with ample walking paths, and views of the Catskill Mountains over the foliage lining the property's edge.
The Main House
When approaching a daunting reinvention of a farmhouse built in the 1900s, with numerous ill-fitting additions throughout the years, the owners had a unique perspective - in the process of bringing history and warmth back into the home, they also wanted to bring in elements of early 19th century architecture that felt more authentic to the land and the surrounding homes.
The result is a beautifully envisioned, cozy interior with abundant texture and depth - limewashed walls, hand-picked stone floors in utility areas, the perfect balance between entertaining spaces and places for rest, and the most impressive use of reclaimed wood beams and floors. In fact, the whole home is an ode to the magic of wood as a versatile and grounding material. The exceptionally tall wood interior doors were sourced in Alexandria, Egypt, then restored by an architectural salvage team in Huntsville, Alabama. The pine beams throughout the home were saved from a circa 1800s barn dismantled along the St. John River in Maine, and still have the maker's mark (E.B. Palmer) preserved on one of them. And the floors - laboriously restored by a reclaimed timber company after being rescued from an old Canadian clothespin factory.
The main house's kitchen is undoubtedly the beating heart of Barnswood - a robust, sprawling space also home to the dining room, bar, and, of course, the terracotta-colored kitchen cabinetry hand-built by an exceedingly talented local craftsman. A discreet door takes you from the kitchen to the media room/library lined with built-in bookshelves, the moodier sibling of the light-filled living room, which features the home's original (and restored) fireplace. An office, powder room, mudroom, and laundry room complete the first floor.
The rooms on the second floor look out onto lush greenery in all directions - some with far-reaching views of the property's epic meadows, and others feel perched amidst the surrounding gnarled maple and oak trees. A wide landing is flanked on one side by the primary suite, with a large bedroom, a bathroom with terracotta-tiled floors, a shower and soaking tub, and a dressing room lined with built-in cabinetry. On the other side of the landing are two amply-sized bedrooms and another bathroom with a shower and tub.
The main house's exterior has a generous stone patio that sits off the kitchen, perfect for summertime dinners.
The Cottage
Down a stone path from the main house is the quaint guest cottage, with a bedroom and full bath on the ground floor, and a large vaulted ceiling bedroom on the second floor. The cottage was created with the same level of detail as the main house - limewashed walls, reclaimed wood floors, and 19th-century salvaged beams.
The Barn
The barn sits unassumingly at the end of the compound, its agrarian exterior hiding its masterful and wholly marvellous interior. The original beams frame the soaring ceilings of the main living space - delicately restored over the years. Designed with large-scale entertaining in mind, the great room in the barn features a rustic country kitchen, full bath, large hearth fireplace, and plenty of space for a miles-long dining table. A loft in the main room is currently used as a gym and music studio, but could easily be an additional space for guest overflow. A second wing off the great room comprises a climate-controlled storage and workshop, as well as an immense office with built-in bookshelves and the prettiest views of the back property. The barn also has two bays for storing cars and equipment to maintain the land.
The Surroundings
Besides being walking distance from one of the Hudson Valley's most beautiful estates - Clermont Manor, Barnswood lies amidst one of the most exciting areas Upstate. Numerous farmers' markets, orchards, restaurants, and hiking trails are just around the corner. The property is ten minutes from Main Street Tivoli and Germantown, 15 minutes from Red Hook, Hudson, Rhinebeck, and Amtrak, and less than 2 hours from NYC.
Photos
Location
Request More Information
Raj Kumar
Associate Real Estate Broker | Lead Agent
The Lillie K. Team
M: 201.689.0533
Email: raj.kumar@fourseasonssir.com
