Set amidst an expansive lawn, mature trees and 7 barns, the Sunburst House is surrounded by 200 acres of fields and woods. The panoramic views of the agricultural landscape are outstanding. The house, built in the 1870s, retains exceptional architectural details from that era, but has been fully modernized. Its large rooms are both cozy and inviting and contain a charming mix of new and old furniture and decorations. Family and friends will enjoy a peaceful, close to nature vacation here.
The Sunburst House is a remarkably intact Greek Revival home named after the stunning sunburst pediment on the front gable end. An extensive renovation was undertaken in the spring of 2021 with a focus on retaining the historic character of the house, while fully modernizing it (new furnace, central air conditioning, new electrical wiring, etc.).
The rooms of the house are large and numerous with 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 stairways, an office, sitting room, TV room and library, dining room, kitchen, mudroom, and a laundry room in the basement. A long porch flanks the front of the house and another in the back.
All rooms reflect the period when the house was built with original wall sconces, wide plank floors, and beautifully detailed trim. The double hung windows are original, plentiful, and especially large, suffusing the house with sunlight. The furniture and décor are a delightful mix of antique and contemporary.
In addition to the 4 bedrooms (3 with queen-sized beds and one with 2 twin beds), there are 3 full bathrooms, 2 upstairs and one downstairs.
A large, sunlit kitchen is fully equipped with stove, refrigerator, dishwasher and numerous appliances and kitchen ware. It also features an old-fashioned pantry.
An expansive formal dining room includes mahogany cupboards and a unique glass topped dinner table.
The sitting room contains a comfy seating area as well as a long, well-lit table for work.
The TV room with a wall hung 54-inch TV also contains a library of books, games and puzzles.
An office is equipped with a wide desk and comfortable office chair. Fiber optic high speed internet is provided by Verizon FIOS (300 Mbps).
The downstairs bedroom with its queen-sized bed has lots of light and a lovely view of the grounds.
The downstairs bathroom has an old-fashioned theme with a cast iron bathtub and wainscoted walls.
The mudroom includes a large closet for coats and serves as the main entry to the house. A 2nd door leads to the back porch.
A formal entrance room off of the front porch boasts a gorgeous, decorative wall painting.
Upstairs, there are 3 bedrooms and two bathrooms. All bedrooms include a closet and dresser.
There is a 4-poster queen bed in the west bedroom, which is adjacent to a large, private bathroom/dressing room. The other two upstairs bedrooms share a 2nd bathroom. The East bedroom with its queen sized, wrought iron bed and antique furniture harks back to another century, while the south bedroom with its 2 twin beds has a more contemporary look and lots of light (with 3 windows). A darling bedroom for children (or adults).
The washer and dryer are located in the basement.
Please note that all the stairways inside and outside are somewhat steep. There is a 5-step stairway from outside to the main entrance. There are two stairways inside the house to the 2nd floor (both with carpeting to prevent slipping) & one stairway to the basement.
The entire house, game barn, garage and expansive mowed area surrounding the house are all included in the rental. The fields surrounding the house are leased to a local farm family who harvest hay from the fields. The land immediately surrounding the house includes mature white and red oak trees, sugar maples, junipers and pine trees as well as a flower garden. Birds are plentiful. A blue stone patio features a propane fired barbecue, table, chairs and a bench. The property also includes the elegant Carriage Barn set up as a Game Barn with a ping pong table, pool table, Corn Hole game and Bocci (to be set up outside).
A long driveway with gentle curves leads to the house offering privacy as well as dazzling views of the buildings and vistas surrounding the house. Guests are welcome to explore the farm fields and woods. In temperate weather, there are walking trails around the multiple hay fields and to a large wildlife pond created by a dam built by beavers (who occasionally can be spotted swimming there). That location in particular is a favorite for birding. If there is snow, the hillsides provide terrific sledding opportunities. Guests are also encouraged to bring cross-country skis or snowshoes. In the summer, a private pond for swimming is available, located on the neighboring property (mine) across the road (a 5-minute walk or 2-minute drive). The pond, however, is only recommended for good swimmers as it is deep and only accessible from a raft.
There is ample parking space for multiple cars in addition to the two-car garage. All the other outbuildings are used solely for storage, but add to the picturesque setting viewed from inside and outside the house.
While the Sunburst House can accommodate up to 8 guests, smaller numbers of guests will feel equally comfortable there.
Pets are welcome, but there is an additional charge of $25 per pet per night.
The house is available for rental year-round. All seasons are distinctive. In the fall, the vistas of the multi-colored foliage are breathtaking; winter is serene; spring is noteworthy for early blossoms; and in summer nature shows off its bounty of flowering plants.
The property is located in northern Rensselaer County/upper Hudson Valley in a rural setting. The scenic agricultural landscape surrounding the house reflects the paintings by Grandma Moses, the renowned folk artist who lived in the area. It is just 5 miles from the village of Hoosick Falls. Grocery and drug stores, banks, restaurants, and a variety of specialty stores are about 6 miles away. The house is within easy driving distance of larger towns such as Bennington, VT, Saratoga Springs, NY and Williamstown, MA. Cambridge, NY (a 15-minute drive) offers an active community arts center with theater and musical performances (Hubbard Hall Projects), and surrounding communities offer a wide range of cultural and sporting activities. For example, Williamstown, MA (a 35-minute drive) is renowned for its summer theater, and the Clark Art Institute is highly regarded for its art collection and exhibits. Saratoga Springs, NY (a 55-minute drive) has thoroughbred horse racing and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, the National Museum of Dance and the National Museum of Racing. Bennington, VT (a 35-minute drive) has the Bennington Museum, Bennington Battle Monument, and Bennington Pottery. Manchester, VT (a 45-minute drive) is known for its discount shopping outlets, including Orvis, the famous store/school specializing in fly fishing. The nearby Battenkill River is a must for trout fishing, and the Little Hoosic River also offers fine fishing opportunities. Antiquing is a popular pastime in the area which has numerous antique stores. Hiking trails are also plentiful within a half hour to an hour’s drive. There are several horseback riding stables in the area and numerous lakes for swimming. Nearby lakes include Lake Paran, N. Bennington, VT; Lake Shaftsbury, Shaftsbury, VT., Lake Lauderdale, Cambridge, NY; Grafton Mt. Lakes and Grafton Lakes, State Park, Grafton, NY. Canoeing, tubing, and kayaking opportunities exist both on the Hoosic River (with a boat launch just a few miles away) and the Battenkill River. The closest golf course, Dutchaven in Buskirk, is a 5-minute drive. Other nearby golf courses can be found at the Hoosick Falls Country Club; Mount Anthony Country Club, Bennington, VT; and Windy Hills Golf Course in Greenwich, NY. The closest ski area is Willard Mountain (a 15-minute drive). Other ski areas within a reasonable commute include Prospect Mt., Jiminy Peak in Hancock, MA; Stratton Mountain, Bondville, VT; Mt. Snow, West Dover, VT. Late summer offerings include the two agricultural fairs: the Schaghticoke Fair in Schaghticoke, NY and the Washington County Fair in Greenwich, NY. Fine restaurants can be found throughout the area as well as plentiful, seasonal open-air markets.
