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$4,500,000

6 Bed · 4.5 Bath · 5,600 Sq. Ft.

3.31 Acres · Circa 1835

Nestled near the meeting point of the Hudson and Camp Creek on three and a half splendidly landscaped acres, Peary Homestead is a well-preserved and abundantly charming example of the 19th-century Gothic Revival country manor.

The History

The home was built in the 1840s by ship captain Robert Peary, who kept a dock at the northwest end of the property where he would service larger boats coming into ports around the Hudson Valley. The property would stay in his family for nearly a hundred years, serving as a farm with far-reaching pear orchards.

Only transferring through a small handful of families by the 21st century, Peary Homestead eventually came under the stewardship of the Lead Horticulturist of the New York Botanical Gardens, who unfolded a robust master plan for the gardens and grounds surrounding the home.

The current owners continued expanding the bountiful gardens, while also undertaking, with the help of architect Chip Bohl and interior design firm L. B. Copeland Interiors, a complete interior renovation and the construction of the north wing, home to the kitchen and the primary suite.

The Home

Over nearly two centuries, the inside of Peary Homestead had become a veritable rabbit warren of incohesive additions and styles, straying far from the original layout of the home. The guiding purpose of the recent multi-year-long renovation was to unify each space within the house, embracing elements of the historical floorplan where possible, and integrating textures and finishes that felt authentic to the property's early 19th-century roots.

In the newly built North wing, the beautifully crafted Plain English kitchen is further enriched with honed Arabescato marble countertops, a deep green Lacanche range, a built-in breakfast nook, and a working fireplace. Ample storage for small appliances and cooking supplies was integrated into the kitchen's millwork, and a separate butler's pantry and bar lead the way to the characterful dining room, which features a vibrant green limewash by Portola Paints and the most precious views of the property's central allee gardens and greenhouse.

The 'formal' living room centers around a particularly tall fireplace, lending itself to more intimate evening gatherings and slow weekend afternoons lounging with a book. The family room, on the other hand, finds its home in the sunroom, an energetic and bright space constantly in dialogue with the surrounding gardens and exterior entertaining spaces. A library/office with walls of overflowing built-in bookshelves, a gym, a wallpapered powder room, a tiled mudroom, and a large screened-in porch complete the ground floor.

The home's original staircase leads to the second-floor landing, with sweeping views of Peary's fruit trees and endless gardens. The primary suite is very well-fitted, with two dressing rooms / walk-in closets, and a large bath with a soaking tub, Waterworks vanity and fixtures, and shower.

Two identical kids' rooms with built-in cabinets and tall ceilings share a bath. The guest suite is in the original wing of the home, and is covered in creamy, textured wallpaper, with extra tall windows that look out onto the front courtyard, a walk-in closet, and a full bath. Second-floor laundry is discreetly fitted into the back section of the home, with a secret door leading to the very magical playroom for the small ones.

The Carriage House

The second floor of the carriage house hosts a large guest flat, with tall, vaulted ceilings, two bedrooms, a dining/gathering area, and a full bath. The ground floor houses much of the utility and workspace for the property, with a 2-car garage, storage, and a workshop that, because of its verdant views and abundance of natural light, equally lends itself to the artist or maker as it would a gardener.

The Grounds

Every inch of Peary Homestead's land is overflowing with charm and whimsy - from the in-ground pool with two lotus gardens along its sides, to the custom greenhouse with a fenced cutting garden, and a long line of trellissed raspberry bushes, the pear trees as a special nod to the property's history, the trumpet-vine covered dining pergola, a babbling stone fountain, the oh-so-gently tamed field of wildflowers, and many an allee to wander down, all lined with the most magical flowers and plants.

The Surroundings

Peary Homestead is near a wealth of beloved farm stores, restaurants, orchards, hiking spots, and charming towns. The property is just minutes from Germantown's main street, 10 minutes from Hudson / the Amtrak train station, 20 minutes from Red Hook, Tivoli, and Rhinebeck, and two hours from New York City.

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