Sited on a sunrise-facing ridge with distant views to Jiminy Peak, this beyond-cool rustic contemporary is designed for minimal maintenance and energy efficiency on 26+ acres in incredibly low-tax Hancock. Luxurious amenities include black walnut, cherry and limestone floors, Wolf and Subzero appliances in the open-plan kitchen, enormous deck with steel cable rails and outdoor hot tub and shower. 5 bedrooms, including the finest master bedroom in the Berkshires plus bonus rooms such as a tower office with glass walls… 5,000+ sq ft in all. The cost to own this stunning property is minimal when you consider your property taxes are incredibly low – under $2k/year! This is the ultimate Berkshire escape and home! Detached oversized garage, trails, and easy drive to Williamstown, Pittsfield and South County.
What’s the most compelling thing about this property?
This is a spectacular contemporary in an equally awe-inspiring natural setting. The home melds seamlessly with the mountains surrounding it, with the spring-fed pond, the distant views and the meadows with colonial stone walls and apple trees from the 1800’s. This is a thoroughly contemporary home sited up the mountain where a colonial farmhouse once stood. The design of the elegantly rustic home strikes a perfect balance with its open living areas, rich woods (including black walnut, cherry, and old mill beams), limestone floors, and passive solar features that flood the home with light.
The home’s finest features – such as what might be the finest master suite in the Berkshires, the tower room with a wall of glass and views all the way to Jiminy Peak, or the huge deck offering an outdoor living area atop the mountain – are incredibly compelling to be sure. However, the most compelling feature is how the home and the land are connected and one.
For whom is this house perfect?
It is a rare property that functions perfectly for full-time and retreat and vacation living, but this home masters it. There’s room for all your family and friends to gather together, but the home never feels too big. If you savor peace and quiet, want to dwell on a site of breathtaking natural beauty that backs up to conservation land and roam your nearly 27 acres that was once a colonial mountainside farm – all while living most comfortably in a house with a truly organic feel – this is your new home.
What’s the most fun thing to do within five miles of this house?
Jiminy Peak is actually less than 5 miles away – and Williamstown is just 15 minutes away with The Clark Art Institute, Williams College and fabulous restaurants. Mass Moca is not much farther, nor is Pittsfield with its bourgeoning art and culture scene, or Tanglewood in Lenox for a summer musical picnic.
If this house could talk, what secret would it tell about its history?
This is land with a heritage, and a rich past waiting to be rediscovered. There’s a reason some brave family called this place their own two hundred years ago, and worked hard to make a go of a farm here. Hancock is a special, and vastly under-appreciated town as well. Sure, the taxes are unbelievably low, but that’s not what makes it most special. Make an appointment and come up to the top of the mountain, leaving yourself a couple of hours to experience the home, the land, the views and to just sit and breathe in a unique and enchanting place of beauty in the Berkshires.
