Famed Broadway impresario George M. Cohan once wrote a musical titled " Forty-Five Minutes From Broadway" to describe how different the surroundings became as you head outside of New York City. If Cohan had been around to see this Japanese-style home, he might have changed the title to "30 Minutes From Broadway."
This serene $2.3 million home sits on nearly 3 acres of land in Irvington, NY, which is about a 30-minute car trip to the George Washington Bridge at the north end of Manhattan.
The home was built in 1965 by Japanese owners wanting to bring the architecture of their homeland to suburban New York. Features include shoji screen doors, a tearoom, a traditional Japanese outdoor deck, and a Japanese garden complete with a koi pond designed by Japanese landscaping firm Iwaki Zouen.
Walk inside the home and you get views. "There's a wonderful feeling of bringing nature in," says Bernadette Haley, partner of listing agents Beth Hargraves and Maria Carlino.
The 6,518-square-foot home has six bedrooms, four full bathrooms, and two half-baths. The kitchen includes four sinks along with top-of-the-line appliances and views overlooking the 18th hole of the adjoining Ardsley Country Club.
"Any cook will appreciate both the size and the utility of" the kitchen, Haley says. The room also features a dramatic vaulted ceiling.
The main entrance is a traditional Japanese genkan with a stone floor. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an office occupy the north wing of the building. The living room and dining room lead to the garden beyond. In the south wing, the master bedroom features wall-to-wall closets and a massive marbled bath with soaking tub.
Japanese design sensibilities are evident not only in the exterior design but also in the extensive use of natural and light-colored woods and white spaces. The Japanese design aesthetic stresses minimalism and open spaces. The lack of clutter leads to the sense of tranquility, according to Japanese design philosophy.
And that philosophy is much in evidence in this home. Another factor that should aid its new owner in feeling serene: Property taxes are scheduled to go down after a recent assessment. Lower taxes, a koi pond, and Manhattan only 30 minutes away, what more could a new owner ask for?