House of the Week: 1900 Former Artist Studio Hits the Market, Last Chance to Tour Eco-Transformation of 1950s Ranch, Das Haus Passive Pavilion Exhibit Comes to White Plains

House of the Week: 1900 Former Artist Studio

$1.575 million

Annual property taxes: $29,319

719 Bedford Rd, Bedford Corners

Originally built in 1900 as a carriage house to a large farm, Cricket Farm also served as the creative studio of master painter (and former owner) Ken Tyler who was frequently joined by an impressive list of distinguished artists, including famed pop artist Roy Lichtenstein, abstract expressionist painter Helen Frankenthaler, contemporary painter David Salle, painter and printmaker Frank Stella, and British painter/stage designer/photographer David Hockney, all of whom, as listing agent Lisa Koh says “used to hang out and work.” Among the great works said to be conceived here is Hockney’s famous series of “Paper Pools” formed from dyed and pressed paper pulp. The property’s unusual past life is matched by an equally unique layout over 7,280 square feet. As Koh explains, “Cricket Farm is not your typical home—it has a unique layout and feel that’s incredibly warm and welcoming. It’s a country retreat so close to New York City, but if you close the door to the stone courtyard, you think you’re in a European villa. To truly appreciate this special property, you have to see it.” Some of those distinctive features include cathedral wood-beamed ceilings, skylights, a front stone courtyard, access to the courtyard or garden from all of the home’s living spaces, and a non-traditional two-level master bedroom suite with a spacious bedroom, stone fireplace, cedar walk-in closet, master bath with soaking tub and separate shower on one level, joined by a spiral staircase to a second level with a sitting room, second walk-in closet, a second master bath with marble steam shower, and Juliet balcony. Though set close to the road by today’s standards, the 2.57-acre property (that also includes an apple orchard, perennial gardens, and a tennis court) is peacefully quiet thanks to its location in a low-traffic section. For more information, contact Prudential Douglas Elliman of Westchester listing agent Lisa Koh at (914) 772-6172 or visit www.elliman.com.   

Final Countdown to Chappaqua Auction

There’s still time to throw your hat in the ring to compete for a prize property—an 8,428 square-foot luxury contemporary at 22 Random Farms Drive in Chappaqua—in the upcoming on-site auction led by Sheldon Good & Company on Sunday, July 15. The last pre-auction open house to walk through the property will be held from 11 am to 2 pm on Saturday, July 14. Built in 1992, the six-bedroom property includes every essential for living a luxury life, including an indoor heated salt-water pool and spa, a steam room for four, a home theater with surround sound, an elevator to navigate the home’s three floors, two- and three-car attached garages, and two driveways. Still interested? To place your bid, plan to register between 10 am and 11 am for the July 15 auction that begins at 11 am. Since the minimum opening bid has been set at $999,000, come with a certified or cashier’s check for $50,000. For more information or to register online, visit www.auctionchappaquahome.com or call (800) 532-7120.

Last Chance to Tour Eco-Transformation of 1950s Ranch

If you’ve been following the green transformation of a White Plains 1953 raised ranch, you won’t want to miss the fourth and last time Keller Williams NY Realty eco-broker Gerry Angel will open the doors to 64 Holbrooke Rd—her home for more than 30 years—from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday, July 14. As an added bonus, the green open house is being paired with the 10-day exhibit of the German passive house, Das Haus, in White Plains (see description below). The City of White Plains will be providing busing between the two locations and a bicycle rack will be available for those choosing to bike it. This also marks the final on-site information session led by Murphy Brothers Contracting, the firm managing Angel’s whole-home renovation. In addition to gaining valuable tips on greening a home, guests also will have the chance to meet the pros involved in the ambitious project, including architect Christina Griffin, who will discuss the benefits of building smart. “I’m delighted there’s so much interest in this project,” says Griffin. “With a passionate owner and all the open house events, this really raises awareness about sustainable design.” Also participating are project representatives from Murphy Brothers Contracting; Green Star Energy Solutions (energy-efficient insulation experts); Total Green LLC (specialists in designing and installing geothermal and hybrid renewable energy systems); Authentic Window Design (authorized Marvin Windows and Doors retailer); Sunrise Solar Solutions (solar panel providers); and Greener by Design (experts in organic, sustainable landscaping). When the eco-friendly renovation is complete, Angel will have 1,000 square feet of additional space, a more open floor plan that brings nature in, and a host of green features including energy-saving spray foam insulation, geothermal heating and cooling in place of oil heating, custom energy-efficient windows, solar panels, LED lighting, water-saving fixtures, and sustainable landscaping—all with long-term benefits. While all of the benefits may not be quantifiable, “It’s expected that Gerry Angel’s monthly energy bills will be, on average, under $100 for heating and cooling, hot water, and electricity,” says Michael Murphy, of Murphy Brothers Contracting. For more information, contact Michael Murphy at michael@murphybrothers.com or (914) 777-5777, or follow the progress of the home’s transformation through Gerry Angel’s blog, www.westchestergreenluxury.tumblr.com.

Das Haus Passive Pavilion Exhibit Comes to White Plains

Photo courtesy of the German American Chamber of Commerce

Speaking of sustainable living, White Plains happens to be one of only 12 cities across the U.S. and Canada where the Das Haus passive pavilion exhibit will be stopping during its 13-month North American tour. Sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology as a model of sustainable home construction and solar energy, the international traveling exhibit was launched in October 2011 to demonstrate innovation in renewables and energy efficiency. The pavilion will remain in White Plains from Tuesday, July 10, through Thursday, July 19 (open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, except July 16 when the pavilion is closed for maintenance), in the parking lot at 125 Court Street near the corner of Quarropas Street, which has been transformed to accommodate the pavilion, along with electric cars and other sustainable solutions. According to White Plains Council Member Milagros Lecuona, chair of the Council’s Sustainable Energy Efficiency Committee for White Plains, and a trained architect herself, “We’re lucky to have the Das Haus exhibit in White Plains. It helps explain to homeowners the practices that can so easily be installed to make homes sustainable and friendly to the environment. If more people get excited about the possibilities, it can open doors and even help bring prices down to be more affordable. It’s also possible for a group of neighbors to join together in a community project, which would make a sustainable effort even more economical. But, right now we’re trying to educate the community on existing sustainable practices and how easy it can be to retrofit properties.” In addition to guided tours, visitors also can benefit from seminars and discussions with experts, and shuttles run between 10 am and 2 pm to tour another passive property—the transformed raised ranch at 64 Holbrooke Rd (see description above).  For more information and schedule of events, visit www.ny.dashaustour.com. 

We welcome information about fascinating homes on the market or real estate/home-related news and events—send to Karen Odom at kodom@westchestermagazine.com.