Overview
Box Turtle Farm is a home so exquisitely curated in every detail that it pulls guests in at every turn. Designer David Netto combined country ease with the classic grandeur of this center hall colonial, creating an estate that is elegant without pretense, warmly wrapping its arms around all who visit. Every element is lovingly realized, from the orangerie, a light infused conservatory, to the centerpiece octagonal living room. Stepping through the home’s front door, you are welcomed by the warmth of the fireplace in the wide center hall. To the right is the library with corner fireplace, and to the left, a music room. The spacious octagonal living room, with soaring floor-to ceiling windows and doors to a stone terrace, is the heart of Box Turtle Farm. Added during a comprehensive recent renovation, with walls made of rosy X wood with dentil crown molding, the octagon has room for several seating areas, including one around a limestone- framed fireplace. From here, you can access the formal dining room and kitchen through the connecting orangerie. The kitchen opens graciously into a large informal dining and sitting room with ample space to congregate and play. The kitchen is a focal point that combines aesthetics and hominess, with its marble-topped island, six-burner stove with griddle, butler’s pantry/bar, and deep country sink, above which large windows welcome a flood of natural light. There are six bedrooms including a primary with fireplace, two large closet/dressing rooms, and a luxuriously deep soaking tub. Most guest bedrooms are en suite with two that share an adjoining bath. On the lower level, you’ll find many elements that make life at Box Turtle Farm both convenient and fun: a climate-controlled wine cellar, giant playroom, storage lockers for residents, as well as a room for storing outdoor equipment such as for skiing, hiking, and camping. The fully equipped laundry room is also on this level. The home has a wrap-around covered porch and several additional outdoor seating areas, one with a full exterior fireplace. A tree house platform just far enough into the woods to offer rustic peace for meditation, reading, or yoga, is very near the gymnasium. The gym’s large center room with wall-to-wall windows provides ample floor space and room for equipment. A full bath with shower room and a Finlandia steam room/sauna make this unique health-focused building truly exceptional. Additional unique features at Box Turtle Farm include brand-new geothermal heating and cooling, an all-weather tennis court, paddocks, and a 3-bedroom guest cottage with complete privacy from the main house. Set on 244 acres, Box Turtle Farm is where the conservation movement in Dutchess County began. Protected by thousands of acres of conservation easements, the property offers woods, riding and hiking trails, and total privacy. No matter where you look in any direction you will never glimpse another house, only views of woods and rolling fields striped with ripening hay and corn in the summer and blanketed in silent snow in the winter. A secluded camping cabin with its own stone-walled terrace and built-in barbecue/fireplace sits atop a rise that commands a glorious view of the valley. There is not a single element of Box Turtle Farm that is out of place. The simple perfection of its setting and refined, timeless design promises a lifetime of peace and enjoyment.