Corporate off-site, family getaway, or Wedding - Brookmill Farm is a captivating 14 acre country retreat situated an hour from Manhattan and minutes from the famous artistic communities of Lambertville, NJ and New Hope, PA. The property’s main house is a four bedroom, colonial Bank style home dating to 1807, that boasts a wrap around, columned porch with comfortable seating for 14. Recently exposed exterior original stonework anchors an alfresco dining area for six under a charming pergola.
There is a large, three bedroom guest cottage with two full baths, a family room, a full kitchen, sleep in den and laundry room.
The centerpiece of the property’s summer entertainment is the pool house, the original stone building on the property which overlooks the lap pool. The downstairs section of the pool house has been restored to its original “speakeasy” format complete with custom bar, kitchenette, and half bath. The striking, nautical themed rooftop lounge area was designed in the mid 1990’s by the curator for the museum of modern art in New York.
The long, stone-wall lined private driveway leads you into this dream property with ancient trees, a trout-stocked pond frequented by blue heron and ducks, a babbling brook and a foot bridge over a waterfall and another bridge leading to the tent location. The perennial gardens all over the compound have been professionally redesigned and labeled by the head master gardener from the prestigious Cranbrook Institute in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Dramatic, tiered perennial gardens in the back of the main house are accessed by stone steps installed years ago and peacefully watched over by an ancient Aphrodite-style garden fountain in the center. The stairs lead to an old rose garden and sunset gazebo. The natural wooded back acreage of the property rises up a rocky ridge and descends down to the brook.
Brookmill Farm was once home to the theater-owning Fox family of Philadelphia, who used the property as their playground in the country. Whimsical garden decorations installed by the Fox family can still be found amongst the bucolic grounds. Stone garden frog fountains dot the property, a favorite of which has been updated with an automatic timer, signaling cocktail hour. Another noteworthy resident was Brian Garfield, author of “Deathwish”, which later became a movie starring Charles Bronson. Brian wrote the book while he owned Brookmill Farm and mailed the draft from the property. Legend has it that during the days of prohibition, moonshine was sold out of the cellar reached by hidden stairs.
As you step inside the main house, an elegant foyer reveals a formal living room with restored original paneling, beamed ceilings and raised panel window frames. The paneled Inglenook stone fireplace lends additional charm and warmth to this inviting space flanked by three sets of double French doors leading out to the porch. A walk-in, stone fireplace anchors the dining room, situated in the original part of the home. The Dutch door in the dining room opens to the alfresco dining porch overlooking the brook and the pond.
The kitchen features Viking appliances, granite countertops, a glass tile backsplash and radiant heat floors. Original stone walls in the adjacent family room are enhanced with local reclaimed barnwood. Sunlight streams in through eleven windows in the vaulted two story section of the family room. The old door on the wine cellar completes the vintage feel of this room.
An authentically restored staircase appointed with era appropriate millwork leads to a sophisticated, three-room master suite. The spacious, chic master bedroom with wood burning fireplace adjoins a glass-walled sunroom that overlooks the back gardens. Two pedestal sinks, a marble tile shower and deep jetted tub enhance the master bath. This level also contains the laundry room with new appliances and the enchanting “Princess Suite” bedroom that sleeps two and has its own en suite bath and walk in closet with built in organizers. The middle floor of the home boasts two more bedrooms and en suite baths. One of the bedrooms has a full/single bunk bed set and the other one has a day bed/trundle set.
The guest cottage has two levels featuring three bedrooms, a den with a queen sleeper sofa, a kitchen with granite countertops, two full baths and a laundry room. One of the second story bedrooms has a wood burning fireplace.
Keywords: Country compound, private estate, historic country retreat, private compound near historic New Hope and one hour from Manhattan ,reunions, corporate events