📍 At a Glance
Location: Athens, NY
Year Built: Circa 1900
Style: Eyebrow Colonial Farmhouse
Square Feet: 2,964 sq. ft.
Lot Size: 5.16 acres
Listed At: $995,000
🏡 Architectural Highlights
Tucked along a quiet country road just outside the Hudson River village of Athens, New York, 857 Flats Road is the kind of home that tells a story before you even walk through the door. Built around 1900, this beautifully restored eyebrow colonial farmhouse is a rare blend of historic texture and modern function—equal parts old soul and thoughtful reinvention. It sits on just over five acres of open land with long views toward the Catskill Mountains, where light pours into wide windows and the air is soft and still.
What drew me in instantly was the way this house balances simplicity and elegance. There’s a quiet integrity to it. From the moment you step into the boot room—a new addition that feels both heritage-forward and deeply practical—you get the sense that this isn’t just a renovation, but a resurrection. Original beams, refinished floors, and locally sourced materials make up the bones, but the heart of this home is in the details: the marble countertops in the kitchen, the picture window framing the mountains, the gentle curve of that classic eyebrow roofline.
🪵 The Eyebrow Colonial: A Quiet Icon
You don’t see many eyebrow colonials come to market, and when you do, they often need significant work. The style is humble and regional—often called America’s first passive house for its low profile and thoughtful insulation. What makes this one stand out is that the character has been lovingly preserved and gently updated.
The exterior has been freshly painted in a palette that feels both clean and historic, and the home retains its classic proportions: a subtle slope to the roofline, long horizontal windows on the second floor, and a solid, symmetrical stance. It’s a form of architecture that doesn’t rely on grandeur, but on proportion and placement. And here, surrounded by mountains, open sky, and fields, it just makes sense.
✨ Design Details of Note
The renovation completed in 2025 is comprehensive—but more importantly, it’s cohesive. This isn’t a flip job or a cosmetic facelift. The design choices respect the past while embracing the present. Some of my favorite features include:
- Custom oak kitchen cabinetry paired with marble countertops, giving a grounded, timeless elegance to the heart of the home
- Scandinavian-style finishes in the upstairs wing, including A-grade plywood and minimal overhead lighting, that create a calm and restorative vibe
- A newly built boot room—practical, charming, and so necessary for upstate life
- Picture windows in the kitchen and dining areas that frame Catskill views like art
- First-floor wet room and laundry closet with high-efficiency appliances for ease of use
- Primary suite oasis with a five-piece bathroom, Caesarstone double vanity, walk-in slate tile shower, drop-in soaking tub, and a dedicated dressing closet
- Original and locally reclaimed wide-plank floors that warm the home from the ground up
Even the lighting has been chosen with intention. Tala lighting fixtures lend a soft glow, and overhead fixtures were minimized to maintain a gentle atmosphere—letting natural light do most of the work.
The result? A home that feels good to be in.
🌾 The Land & Outbuildings
One of the most captivating parts of this property is what exists beyond the walls. The home sits on 5.16 acres—wide open, gently sloped, and ready for whatever lifestyle you dream up. Want goats? Gardens? A creative studio in the barn? All possible here.
And speaking of barns—there’s a beautiful traditional Dutch barn, a former dairy barn, and even two silos standing strong. The Dutch barn has been recently reinforced, making it a solid candidate for restoration, repurposing, or adaptive reuse. Whether you want to host events, build an artist’s retreat, or simply have space to store equipment and feed, these structures give this property serious long-term potential.
Life in Athens, NY
Location-wise, this part of the Hudson Valley is hard to beat. Athens sits along the Hudson River, just minutes from its slightly more bustling neighbor, Coxsackie. The area is known for its charming main streets, historic architecture, and easy access to both the Catskill Mountains and the cultural draw of Hudson, just 20 minutes away. From antique shops and riverfront parks to cozy cafes and farm-to-table dining, the region has a little bit of everything, without the crowds.
You can hop on the Amtrak in Hudson and be in NYC in under two hours, but honestly? Once you settle in here, you may not want to leave. This is the kind of place where people buy homes to stay—where weekends are for local markets, hikes, and watching the fog roll off the mountains with a cup of coffee in hand.
🖼️ Visual Tour
📎 Listing Info & Credit
Listed by: Leigh Bokser, Compass
📧 leigh.bokser@compass.com
📞 (917)-327-4882
🔗 857 Flats Road, Athens, NY 12015
📸 All photos credited to the listing agent or platform. These are used for editorial and appreciation purposes only. If you are the photographer or owner and wish to have your listing removed or credited differently, please contact me directly.
💬 Final Take
Homes like this are the reason I started Hidden Holms. They’re not flashy or overdone—but they’re full of soul. They bring together regional history, purposeful design, and the kind of landscape that slows you down and reminds you what matters. This one, in particular, feels like it’s been waiting for someone who sees its quiet power.
Whether you’re looking for a full-time home, a weekend escape, or a multi-functional creative property, 857 Flats Road offers that rare alchemy of architecture, land, and location. It’s a home that feels anchored—one that respects where it came from, and is ready to carry you into what’s next.
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Hidden Holms is a curated editorial platform sharing notable architecture and design. We do not represent the properties featured or claim ownership of listing media. This content is shared solely for discovery and appreciation purposes with credit to the original sources.
I’m Mariah, and this is Hidden Holms. Thanks for exploring with me. 💛
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