luxury houses with reception room for sale Germantown, United States

Ulster Landing is a storied & magnificent former Livingston estate established in the early 1800s, perched on 34 acres above the Hudson River with far-reaching views & more than half a mile of river frontage. Down a long, winding driveway lies the historic and remarkably well-preserved main house. On the 1st floor, the formal living & dining rooms have exquisite views of the river & are connected by the original arched doors. French doors line the living spaces, opening to the home's wraparound porch & overlooking the surrounding gardens & bluestone dining terrace. Inside, the deep berry-red kitchen was a painstaking collaboration between a local craftsman & the home's designer, with elaborate millwork, an AGA range, multiple restored historic pieces, & ample pantry & appliance storage. The family room, office, library- complete with built-in bookshelves & a characterful indigo Antoinette Poisson wallpaper, and full bath/powder room completes the first floor. The grand staircase twists around, meeting the second-floor landing & the best view in the house, framed by two large windows, the top of which disappears into the home's 'tower'. There are two distinct wings on the second floor - the owner's wing & the guest wing, each with its own staircase & landing. The owner's wing is home to the primary suite & a kid's suite. The primary features vaulted ceilings & large arched French doors that lead out to a balcony. An expansive dressing room with built-in closets & a fireplace and primary bath with freestanding soaking tub facing the Hudson, & an alcoved toilet & shower complete the suite. Down the hall from the primary bedroom is the colorful kid's room with striped Swedish wallpaper & a walk-in closet. The two-toned kid's bath has a claw-foot tub with a shower surround. Second-floor laundry & a large linen closet complete the owner's wing. A long balcony runs along the entire guest wing, offering access via French doors in the double guest suite & the single guest room. The double room features vaulted ceilings, an extra-large walk-in closet, & a full bath. The single room has detailed millwork & playful wallpaper, with its accompanying bathroom down the hall. The home is not short on functional yet tasteful utility spaces, with the ground-floor rooms converted into a laundry room, gardening mudroom, pantry & walk-in refrigerator, as well as significant storage space. The laundry & flower room is painted a deep ochre color, with ample built-in cabinetry, an XL utility sink, open shelving for vases, & two sets of high-capacity washers & dryers. The gardening mudroom has exposed historic brick walls & access to the surrounding herb & flower gardens, wood storage, & the exterior potting station. Ulster Landing, with its 34+ acres, possesses a particularly dynamic landscape, with several rolling wildflower meadows, centuries-old flowering trees, winding walking trails, & a pebble beach along the Hudson River. The heated gunite pool, spa, & surrounding bluestone terrace sit perched on top of a hill overlooking the river, with an outdoor shower & a concealed storage room built in below. The circa 1800s barn, with a long bay currently acting as a garage, still contains much of the property's original maintenance & horse-drawn carriage equipment. Up the driveway towards the property's entrance are the Playhouse & the Gatehouse. The Playhouse, a light-filled mid-century cabin, features a large living space, a kitchenette, a full bath, & a separate room that serves as a gym but could easily be used as a cousins' bunk room, art studio, office, or an overflow guest space. The Gatehouse is original to the property & is currently a charming one-bedroom cottage, ideal for caretakers, staff, or guests. The home is minutes from Kingston's historic district, 15 minutes from Saugerties, Rhinebeck, Red Hook, Tivoli, & the Rhinecliff Amtrak train station, a half hour from Hudson, & just over an hour & a half from New York City.