This Downsville A-Frame is A-Plus: $429K

  |  August 21, 2023

Upstater’s letter of the week is A—for A-frame houses, of course.

The traditional roof-as-walls design began outside of the US, showing up in Japanese farmhouses and Swiss ski chalets. The style first made its mark stateside in 1934 with a vacation home designed by Rudolph Schindler in Lake Arrowhead, California.

Today’s home was built in 1980, but has undergone a totally modern renovation. The exterior is a dusky blue Hardie Board siding with a complementary metal roof. A front deck has lattice underneath, and cable railings up top (we’d paint the wood to match the siding, given the choice).

Walk in the front door, and you’re dazzled by light woods, white paint, and lots of light.

The living, dining, and kitchen areas are open-concept. Maple flooring covers the main level. The peaked ceiling rises high, crossed by maple beams and punched with skylights. A vintage Malm fireplace sits on a lime-plaster hearth, catty-corner from the L-shaped teal kitchen. A black spiral staircase climbs up behind the kitchen’s breakfast bar.

Stainless steel appliances and open upper shelving make the kitchen thoroughly modern. The sleek cabinets are topped with butcher-block counters. The doorways in the background each lead to a bedroom.

The first bedroom is kind of small but has that beautiful wood floor and lots of windows.

The second bedroom is bigger, with sliders out to the back patio.

There’s open storage above the closet, too.

There’s just one bathroom in this house, but it’s a pretty one. Black slate flooring complements a charcoal accent wall against a huge soaking tub. The open-shelf vanity has a vessel sink.

Through a doorway is a glass-door shower and a laundry set.

Those spiral stairs in the living room curl their way up to this bright loft, which has floor-level storage tucked into its walls.

There’s plenty of outdoor space here, with two wood patios connected with a wooden walkway. They overlook a tiny pond. The house sits on one acre of land, and it’s just a few minutes from the East Branch of the Delaware River and the stunningly scenic Pepacton Reservoir. The George Washington Bridge is two-and-a-quarter-hours away—locally, you’re just 15 minutes from Route 17 in Roscoe, and a few minutes further than that to Livingston Manor.

If this renovated beauty pulls your heartstrings, find out more about 356 Mink Brook Road, Downsville, from Hillary Kolos with Compass Greater NY, LLC.

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