Property:
123 N Salem Rd, Cross River
What’s to like?
Listening to homeowner Jane Amsterdam describe her Cross River compound, it’s clear the parting won’t be easy. “It’s amazing—the most romantic and idyllic place,” Amsterdam says of the serene French-inspired 12-acre property. “It’s charming at every turn—there’s not a room or view I don’t adore.” Originally a barn built circa 1790, the main residence is brimming with unique architectural details including exposed wood beams throughout; a Madonna and child carved newel post from a French church; a circular kitchen (handcrafted down to every cabinet, drawer, and hinge) in what was formerly the barn’s silo; and antique hand-carved French firebacks from the 1700s. “I knew the second I saw it that I had to live here,” Amsterdam adds. “Everyone falls in love with it.” Even guests are reluctant to leave the spacious and private one-bedroom guest house. Completing the estate are a carriage house with a studio apartment and three-bay garage, a chicken house, a four-stall barn (added in 2003), sand ring, and three paddocks. Not to mention three ponds, a stream, and an orchard of apple, peach, and pear trees. According to Amsterdam, each season brings more to adore—from winter with not a leaf in sight to spring when the meadow’s lilacs, hydrangeas, and 30,000 daffodils burst into colorful bloom in waves—all conspiring to make Amsterdam feel like she’s living in a magical French painting.
2 bedrooms | 2 baths | 2,342 square feet | $1,450,000
Susan Stillman, (914) 589-4477, Houlihan Lawrence; www.houlihanlawrence.com
