RICOCHET LOCUST VALLEY, NEW YORK
Handsome stone piers welcome arrival to Ricochet where a long horseshoe shaped drive framed with lush green lawns, flowering shrubs, old growth and specimen white oak and cherry trees unfolds to spectacular views of the magnificent Federal-revival style residence. The property has roots dating back to 1685 when it was purchased by Quaker John Cocks from the Matinecock tribe. Today, Ricochet is comprised of a sublime twenty-two room main house, three cottages, three barns that include a woodworking studio and dry boat storage, an updated 1920’s oval swimming pool and charming pool house. A dahlia cutting garden overlooks a bass stocked pond. The lush gardens feature cherry, dogwood, tulip poplar, magnolia, evergreen, copper and green beech trees. Wisteria, honeysuckle, rose and lilac provide fragrant blooms, while a Siberian elm is a majestic sentinel in the back gardens. Under the stewardship of its current owner, the spectacular eight-bedroom manor house has been impeccably renovated and expanded to perfection. It seamlessly blends today’s finest luxurious amenities with gracious period details. Built in 1898, the original main residence was comprised of what is now the center body. In 1925, under the design of notable architects Hunt & Hunt, clapboard wings were added. Today, the residence is a timeless and gracious home of distinction. Its crisp white façade is unified by windows and doors that are dressed with Essex green shutters. Classic dormers and brick chimneys punctuate the low-pitched roof while a colonnade of six double height columns sets off a welcoming front entry portico. Once inside, a center hall with gleaming quarter sawn pegged oak floors and deep original crown moldings opens to an expansive and light-filled enclosed porch. Interiors reflect a gracious style that celebrates both original architectural details and tasteful additions. Refined principal rooms are beautifully scaled for entertaining. In the east wing, there is a hidden bar in a hallway wall. The grand formal living room features wood crown molding and fretwork, a fireplace with finely drawn details and six sets of French doors that open to both the front and back gardens. There is room for several furniture groupings. The well-appointed library has antique long leaf yellow pine wood paneling, shelves and carved fireplace surround. There is a window seat with storage, and doors open to the enclosed porch. The elegant formal dining room features classical moldings, a fireplace and pretty shell-topped alcove corner display cabinetry – one of which is a hidden door leading to the kitchen.
Lovely glass front hand-planed walnut cabinetry and oak countertops grace the butler’s pantry which leads to the kitchen complex. The kitchen features masterfully crafted white cabinetry by Adee Woodcraft. The large work island has contrasting oak cabinetry. Countertops are attractive Silver Sea Green stone, and the ceiling is coffered with a bead board detail. The floor tiles are antique circa 1848 imported from Provence, France. There is a Wolf range with two ovens and an in-counter Wolf steamer. The Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer are integrated into the cabinet design and feature Rocky Mountain hardware.
There is a pass-through to a walnut-topped breakfast bar in the family room. Added in 2010, the comfortable family room has a trussed vaulted ceiling, built-in bookshelves, a fireplace and two sets of French doors that open to a covered porch and expansive bluestone patio overlooking the back gardens and swimming pool. There is an office with blue custom cabinetry and a mud room.
The second level arrives to a hall with French doors that open to an expansive sleeping porch at one end and French doors that open to a Juliette balcony overlooking the front gardens at the other end. Bathed in light through a wall of windows, the partitioned porch overlooks the back patio, gardens and pool. The serene master suite wing has a spacious master bedroom with a fireplace and six-over-six double-hung windows on three sides. There is a dressing room and closets with fittings. The luxurious en suite features an antique ceramic deep soaking tub with a walnut panel and mirrored surround and separate shower. There are attractive Ming Green marble topped sink vanities and floor with radiant heat. Five additional bedrooms with summer doors, four baths, a recreation room and a laundry room with built-in storage complete this level.
Ricochet has three cottages. The first cottage has two-bedroom apartment above a three-bay garage and a balcony terrace. The second cottage is topped by a cedar roof with a cupola. It has three-bedrooms. The third cottage has a three-bedroom apartment and garage bays for seven vehicles. It has a separate entry drive. Each cottage has its own laundry and utilities.
A grouping of three red barns surround a courtyard with a centerpiece holly bush. The first barn has three stalls and a hay loft. The second barn features a cupola with an atomic synchronized clock and three garage bays. The middle bay doors are designed for drive through access to accommodate trailers and boats. The third barn is a two-story utility barn with a working tool shop and a dry storage sail loft.
The main residence has ten-zone geothermal heat/air conditioning, a generator for the whole house and a sound system. It is complemented by an expansive bluestone patio that is perfect for al fresco dining and entertaining. From the patio, two curvilinear staircases framed by groomed hedges lead to a sparkling heated oval swimming pool with a delightful jumping rock. Reminiscent of a reflecting pool, it is a tranquil centerpiece of the back garden that is surrounded by a carpet of grass and outlined by a dry laid stone wall with plantings that bloom throughout the summer. The charming pool house predates the main house. Renovated in 2014, it features oak custom cabinetry with a zinc countertop, two changing rooms and an outdoor shower. An invitation for pause and relaxation, it has a front porch that overlooks the swimming pool and surrounding lawns and gardens.
MLS# 3264183.
Christina Porter
$9,200,000.
Associate Real Estate Broker Gold Circle of Excellence 516.759.4800, c.516.835.5512 christinaporter@danielgale.com
Photography by Morgan Rothblat. A Masterpiece Collection Listing.
Lindsey Barnett Real Estate Salesperson 516.759.4800, c.516.972.4261 lindseybarnett@danielgale.com
danielgale.com
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