REAL ESTATE

INSIDE STORIES BEHIND AREA
REAL ESTATE DEALS (continued)

WESTCHESTER

SERENITY NOW! (click photo for larger view)

The Sanctuary
$3,850,000
Bronxville, NY
Some homes have curb appeal. This home has appeal from the curb and throughout every cubic inch of its mid-century modern interiors, finished in 1958 and lovingly renovated by a couple of architects and designers who only made it better. Architect Frederick G. Frost built the home for himself and lived there until he passed away in 1991, sparing it the often-disastrous "improvements" that have mucked up many a Modern during the '70s and '80s.

SERENITY NOW! (click photo for larger view)

The heart of the home was—and still is—a freestanding fireplace with copper hood suspended above an iron hearth. It sits in the midst of an open-plan dining and living space that, in turn, flows from the dramatic two-story foyer, featuring a waterfall and floating staircase. And just in case that's not cool enough for you, the nearly 6,000-square-foot home also features a glass-enclosed dining "pavilion" that opens onto a patio and a master suite with a spa-style bath and direct access to the gardens and cedar sauna. Featured in Interior Design magazine last year, the six-bedroom home also offers a gorgeous kitchen with cherry Poggenpohl cabinetry, five bathrooms and a separate studio on the .62-acre lot. In short: We're fans. Laura Stichter-Bryson of Houlihan-Lawrence in Bronxville has the listing, (914) 337-0400, ext. 228.

MODERN TIMES (click photo for larger view)

Paul Rudolph Mid-Century Modern
$2,488,000
Larchmont, NY
In 2007, the town of Westport was polarized by the razing of another Paul Rudolph–designed home, which had been purchased for $3.2 million then treated like any other teardown—demolished and replaced. That pristine white cantilevered dwelling resembled this one, which was built in 1958 and gut-renovated by Rudolph himself a couple of decades later. We trust that the Larchmont, NY, dwelling, on nearly 6.5 acres, won't suffer the same fate. At 6,500 square feet, it's a graciously expansive home with the space and accommodations modern families demand, including seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms (plus one half bathroom) and a pool and spa. Cool extra feature: the 1,100-square-foot guesthouse that's attached to the main house by a decked walkway. Katherine McLoughlin of Houlihan-Lawrence in Larchmont has the listing, (914) 833-0420, ext. 364.