From the front, Byrdcliffe Retreat appears to be an authentic and historic Woodstock artist’s bungalow built in 1900 as part of the famous Byrdcliffe Art Colony (and it is!). In the back, walls of floor-to-ceiling steel-framed glass doors on both the main house and the separate studio/office swing open to extend the living/work space onto a spacious bluestone patio overlooking a private in-ground heated saline pool and terraced lawn. What was once a rustic artist studio has been transformed into a high-end, state-of-the-art, stylish retreat that blends old/new, historic/modern, and rustic/luxury.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES:
Dark wood siding, natural finish wood (and stone) floors, exposed posts and beams, and other features characteristic of the Byrdcliffe Art Colony are intact and carefully preserved. New features, such as vaulted ceilings, hand-plastered walls, oversize picture windows and glass doors, and a “floating” steel stairway have been added to upgrade and expand the space. The first floor of the house has been opened up to create a “great room” with a central tiled chimney (with a wood stove) that divides the space into 3 zones: kitchen, dining area, and living/lounge space.
COOKING + DINING
You can prepare simple snacks or elaborate meals in your fully-equipped chef’s kitchen, which features a gleaming stainless steel island with a built-in 5-burner Wolf gas range and Wolf oven, as well as a generous prep area with bar seating. In addition, a marble countertop runs the length of the opposite wall, and includes an oversize sink under a sunny window overlooking the front gardens. The kitchen is fully equipped with a complete set of dishes, All-Clad stainless steel pots and pans, bakeware, glassware, cutlery and utensils. Other appliances include a Fisher + Paykel fridge/freezer, Miele dishwasher, Vitamix blender, Wolf toaster, Braun coffeemaker, and Cuisinart microwave. You will certainly find everything you need to prepare whatever your heart desires.
And if your heart desires pizza, you’re in luck! The cooking/dining space continues on the bluestone patio, where you’ll find a wood-fired ALFA pizza oven with a matching stainless steel prep table and complete set of pizza tools (all imported from Italy). In addition, there’s a 6-burner Sedona gas grill with a built-in light for night-time grilling.
Once you’ve prepared your meal, you can serve/enjoy it either indoors at the vintage mid-century modern Danish dining table (seats 6) next to a wall of glass overlooking the patio. Or you can dine on the patio at an outdoor table that also seats 6 under an oversize umbrella.
LOUNGE AREA + A/V SYSTEM
The lounge area of the great room is defined by a comfy L-shaped MOMO modular floor sofa that faces 2 large picture windows and a Sony 4K HDR monitor. You can switch between cable and Apple TV using the simple universal remote. Or you can listen to music on the Sonos sound system, which includes bluetooth speakers throughout the house and outside on the patio. A simple app allows you to play music from your device on any speaker ~ or all of them! For a lower-tech option, you can browse the collection of vinyl albums, and play them on your Rega turntable. Both the turntable and TV audio play through a dedicated Sonos speaker.
BEDROOMS
A “floating” steel staircase leads from the first floor great room to the second floor bedrooms. There are 3 bedrooms, each with vaulted ceilings, oversize windows (with blackout shades), and luxury beds. The master bedroom features a king-size DUX bed with 100% linen bedding, a Hans Wegner rocker, and a wall of closets. The guest bedroom has a DWR mattress on a platform with built-in drawers. And the third smaller bedroom has an Italian Flou linen-wrapped twin/day bed with a roll-away trundle that can be hydraulically lifted to the bed’s height to sleep 2.
BATHROOMS
The full bathroom on the second floor of the house features an open skylit shower area with a rain head, as well as a claw-foot soaking tub. In addition, there’s a second full bathroom in the studio building (which also includes a private office and laundry facilities). A half bath on the first floor of the house is hidden behind a sliding barn door at the base of the stairs. And there's an outdoor shower behind the studio for rinsing off after a swim.
STUDIO OFFICE
Like the main house, the studio building has a wall of steel-framed glass doors that open onto the bluestone patio, to let the outdoors in. Alternatively, you can lower the light-filtering shades to create a more private and secluded work space. The office features a vintage mid-century modern Danish desk and credenza, as well as a wall of bookshelves and a second Sony 4K HDR monitor with cable and Apple TV service. The adjoining full bathroom has curtain partitions dividing it into a walk-through shower area at one end, and a laundry area with a stacked large-capacity washer/dryer at the other.
POOL
The in-ground gunite pool (open from May-September) is framed by dry-laid bluestone terracing and surrounded by a sunny and fully-fenced lawn. The water is heated and saline-chlorinated, and so inviting/refreshing on hot summer days. Oversize pool towels and floats are provided.
TRAMPOLINE
For the kids (or young at heart), there’s a Springfree trampoline in the side yard that you’re welcome to use. Although Springfree is considered the safest in the industry, please note that you jump at your own risk, of course.
HVAC + SECURITY
Both the house and the studio are conveniently and efficiently heated/cooled using a combination of central heat/AC with Nest thermostat controls, and split units with remote controls. In addition, there are Nest-controlled CO2/smoke alarms and a driveway-monitoring security camera. In the unlikely event of a power outage, you can rest assured that all of the systems and power in the house are covered by a whole house generator and will not be interrupted.
PETS
Well-behaved and crate-trained dogs are considered ~ please ask. Please note that a $100/week pet fee per dog applies, and we request that dogs are crated when left alone, and not allowed on the furniture/beds or in the pool. Thank you!
EASY TO CONTACT
We’re happy to answer any questions you may have, either before booking or during your stay. We look forward to hearing from you, and welcoming you to Byrdcliffe Retreat for a peaceful, relaxing and inspiring getaway!
