On the Market: A Berkshires Home with A Magnificent Great Room

The main gathering space of this western Massachusetts home is a 1500s barn brought over from England.

Photos by Chris Rose of Apex Media

14 Pinecrest Hill Rd., EgremontPrice: $1,499,000Size: 4,060 square feetBedrooms: 5Bathrooms: 4 full, 2 partial

If you want a sure hit when it comes to real estate, consider investing in something rustic. Modern farmhouses are flying off the market, and honestly, how many weddings in a barn have you been to over the past several years? Of course, all of these recent builds and fancy venues pale in comparison to this home tucked away in western Massachusetts, which features genuine barn wood…and one from England’s Elizabethan era no less.

In 1998, this Egremont home received a major upgrade. The owners, Richard and Stephanie Stern, found the 1950s cottage a bit too small for their needs, according to a 2000 article on the home that appeared in the New York Times, and decided to build a grand room to add a little more space. The couple bought wood from a 1540s hay barn from Kent, England, on the recommendation of an architect they met who was doing work with reassembled English barns (prior to the British government banning the export of historical buildings). They used this material to craft a one-of-a-kind addition: The great room not only has enough space for lounging and dining, but also boasts 28-foot-high ceilings and a rustic feel, thanks to the perfectly vintage wood beams that line the room, making you feel like you’re back in that 1540s British barn. The space allows room for hosting all kinds of events—from large parties to more intimate gatherings around the stone fireplace—all against the backdrop of the nearby mountains.

Now the Sterns, who once worked as journalists (she was an Emmy-winning NBC producer; he worked at Forbes as a senior editor and wrote a notable story revealing Donald Trump’s true net worth), are selling their renovated Berkshires home after decades of using it to host family events (including at least one wedding, according to their daughter, Allison). Today, the new buyers will get not the ranch that the Sterns bought in the ’70s, but an expanded five-bedroom, six-bathroom vacation abode. In addition to the great room, there’s a pine-paneled den with an additional fireplace, a primary bedroom suite with a private balcony, a spa-esque bathroom with a steam shower, and a large kitchen leading to an outdoor living space. The yard of the home has a patio beside a swimming pool and pond, so you can enjoy the gentle trickle water that truly escalates this place into a perfect escape.

For more information, contact Michael Harrigan and Mary R. White, Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Barnbrook Realty, coldwellbankerhomes.com.

Photos by Chris Rose of Apex Media

Photos by Chris Rose of Apex Media

Photos by Chris Rose of Apex Media

Photos by Chris Rose of Apex Media

Photos by Chris Rose of Apex Media

Photos by Chris Rose of Apex Media

Photos by Chris Rose of Apex Media

Photos by Chris Rose of Apex Media

Photos by Chris Rose of Apex Media

Photos by Chris Rose of Apex Media

Photos by Chris Rose of Apex Media

Photos by Chris Rose of Apex Media

Photos by Chris Rose of Apex Media

Photos by Chris Rose of Apex Media

Photos by Chris Rose of Apex Media

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