Welcome to the rolling hills of Ancram! A two hour drive from Manhattan and perched on a hill near the end of a dead end road, this custom-designed modern farmhouse was rebuilt from the ground up in 2016 with every detail considered.
Inside, you'll find Japanese, Scandinavian and rustic farm house influences. With reclaimed wood beams, top-nailed white oak floors, a vaulted double-height living room and incredible oversized bathtub, the space invites quiet, calm reflection and rest.
The space
I chose the serene little hamlet of Ancram because it reminded me of the rolling hills of Scotland and Ireland, with sweeping landscapes and incredible views of The Catskill mountains. It has a much different feel to it than the Berkshires, Connecticut or even other areas of upstate New York because it is so open and pastoral, not heavily wooded. That gives it that sense of expansiveness and big sky that is so calming.
The house was originally envisioned by a noted Art Director and I am a photographer, so you'll find a lot of design-forward, luxurious touches, coupled with high-end appliances. You'll likely first notice the mushroom wood siding, which is created through a process whereby mushrooms grow on the wood before it is installed, strengthening it and resulting in the distressed, highly textured look.
The antique heart pine joists throughout the house are locally reclaimed and the kitchen features slate countertops reclaimed from a 1950s Columbia County high school science lab. It also features an Eastern White Pine custom open kitchen cabinet frame with gorgeous porcelain farmhouse sink and a professional grade faucet.
This house has been the previous owner's and my passion project for years, so it's not a cheaply done rental property!
4 can sleep inside the house, and for those looking for a more adventurous and vintage experience, 2 more can sleep in the 1962 Yellowstone Canned Ham trailer. It has nearly all its original 1962 birchwood inside and is just a great place to hang out, work remotely (I often take Zoom meetings from here), have a glass of wine, or read a book!
The whole house was built to be very efficient and eco-friendly, so it features double pane Marvin windows and a great deal of insulation, keeping it cool in the summer and warm in the winter. And I just installed a brand new three-head Mitsubishi Hyperheat+Cool state of the art split system for heating and cooling. Schoolhouse electric fixtures and a large Haiku fan are present as well.
When you walk in, you'll come in through the front door or the mudroom, and you'll notice white oak floating shelves with recessed warm LED lights and a custom white oak entryway bench for putting your shoes and bags when you come in.
The kitchen flows into the double-height living room with huge windows. In the living room you'll find some mid-century style lounge chairs, an incredibly comfortable and eco-friendly sofa, and a brand new 65 inch 4K QLED Samsung Frame TV that is mounted on the wall but can also be pulled out and tilted to any angle. Like the name implies, the TV appears more like a picture frame than a TV and beautifully displays an array of digital art.
The dining area features a custom oval Saarinen-style table from Room & Board as well as a gorgeous dark brown custom Room & Board Velour bench, as well as two Design Within Reach Saarinen Executive chairs.
In terms of furniture, I bought a lot of the tables and credenzas from a craftsman in Spain who makes them all by hand. You'll be able to tell which ones they are because they all have a similar Japanese/Scandinavian vibe and light finish.
From the living room, you can walk up white oak stairs to the incredibly serene lofted master bedroom that feels like you are floating in the sky. There are two large white oak dressers, a coat rack, another split system heating and cooling head, and the most comfortable bed I have ever owned.
The house features super soft rugs from Article, Noguchi lamps, and a super nice Fisher & Paykel fridge and freezer, as well as a precision temperature controlled electric kettle for tea and Aeropress, and a Braun drip coffee maker.
The bathroom contains a European-style towel hanger, an oversized bathtub with rain shower, and a custom vanity from Room & Board in dusty green.
In the basement you'll find a big luxurious West Elm Harmony sofa that I just purchased (2023) that turns into an incredibly comfortable bed. It’s a queen size width but note it is about 7 inches shorter than a standard queen. You’ll also find a new (2023) a 30 inch Samsung computer monitor and new (2023) apple keyboard and mouse, which you are welcome to plug into, turning the space into a very calm and quiet office.
The basement has its own radiant floor heating as well as a Mitsubishi split unit for heating and cooling. The concrete floors and walls were recently ground down and acid stained for a modern look that contrasts with the Scandinavian- inspired light wood of the rest of the house. There's also an incredible washer and dryer, as well as a steamer and drying rack.
The house is situated on a super quiet dead-end road that barely gets any traffic, so it's very peaceful. Sitting on the front porch is lovely and there's a heat lamp overhead for early morning coffees or late night cocktails. The property also includes 2 wooded acres and a small reflecting pond frequented by local wildlife. There's also a weber gas grill as well as a high-end Breeo smokeless firepit.
Please note that the Jotul wood stove in the living room is not currently operational. I also have several outdoor security cameras but they are turned off for guest visits. Please also note no pets allowed.
As mentioned above, the 1962 Yellowstone 'Canned Ham' camper trailer is super fun and also very comfortable. It can double as another bedroom for those who don't mind not having air conditioning (I do have a powerful fan I can put in there). There is a portable heater for colder nights. It is almost all original inside with its beautiful Birch wood. It can sleep an additional two people, but there's no bathroom or running water, so you'll have to run inside the house for that! All the windows have screens on them, making it ideal for sleeping on a temperate night. I find it a bit of a fun time warp that's just super relaxing to be in.
In terms of nearby activities, Lake Taghkanic State Park is an easy 10 minute drive and offers a beach, incredible sunset lake views, hiking, a playground, basketball court, and lots more. It's one of my favorite spots. There are tons of other great hikes in the area as well, which I detail in the house guide.
You are within 25 minutes of downtown Hudson and Redhook, 15 minutes from Millerton, 30 minutes from Rhinebeck, 10 minutes from Copake, and 10 minutes from the cutest farm store in the world, Chaseholm Farms (which has incredible meat, cheese and produce). Incredible food around, and I have a bunch of restaurants listed in the house guide.
For skiing, the closest is Catamount, which is a pretty fun little mountain and only 20 minutes away. Hunter is about an hour away in NY state and much bigger. Jiminy Peak is also about an hour away and supposed to be very good as well.
Happy to answer any questions!
