Down West Road, just past Wyantenuck CC, a 1,500-ft drive climbs through towering trees. At the crest of Broken Hill, where the forest gives way to wide rolling lawns, sits one of the Berkshires' finest examples of American Shingle Style architecture—5,219 sf of cedar and stone. For those who know that real luxury is quality of life, Broken Hill offers space to breathe, room to gather, and peace that lingers. This 1910 Shingle Style home with soaring ceilings, and artfully scaled rooms that invite quiet and connection. The finished 1,536-sf second floor of the original carriage barn is now a light-filled studio, retreat, or entertaining space. Set on 10.8 acres, it offers exceptional privacy just 3 miles from downtown GB—an opportunity as rare as the setting itself.
THE ASCENT: The long climb up Broken Hill is part of the magic. No neighbors in sight once you begin the ascent. Just mature woodland giving way to a home that seems to rise naturally from the land. The covered carriage-style entry offers both shelter and architectural grace, true to early 20th-century country estate design.
ROOMS THAT LIVE AND BREATH: Through the original Dutch door with leaded glass sidelights and transom, you enter a world where craftsmen understood light and proportion. The entry hall's gleaming parquet floors flow beneath a built-in bench where three generations have paused to shed boots and coats. To your right, the living hall unfolds with soaring ceilings and gracious scale, anchored by a massive stone fireplace and a curved alcove framed by built-in bookcases - the perfect reading nook. Floor-to-ceiling windows open to views of the lawn, while French doors lead to the screened porch: a true summer room, protected from storms yet open to every breeze. The dining room commands its own bright corner, with a tall bay window and original leaded-glass china cabinet. But it's the kitchen where modern life gathers, completely reimagined and fully open plan, yet inherently at home in the space. The bank of windows over the sink, the 48-inch Viking range, butcher block island for eating and prep, and soapstone counters - flow seamlessly to a family space where floor-to-ceiling sliders dissolve the boundary between indoors and out. A windowed porch off the kitchen serves as the everyday entry. It essentially functions as a huge mudroom with hooks and a bench where real life happens. The first-floor bedroom with full bath offers rare flexibility: guest suite, private office, or whatever your life requires.
PRIVATE QUARTERS AND HIDDEN GEMS: Up the grand staircase, the second floor offers remarkable flexibility and scale. The home includes eight potential bedrooms - if every room that could be used as a bedroom were dedicated to that purpose - and five full baths. The septic system, which has passed its Massachusetts Title V inspection, is designed for up to ten bedrooms. The current family uses the home as a six-bedroom retreat, adapting rooms for office, creative space, or a family lounge as life evolves. Three of the rooms in the main wing are currently used as bedrooms, while one serves as a front-facing office with a window seat overlooking the lawn, and another functions as a spacious second-floor family room. The former servants' quarters are accessed by their own private stair and offer two matching ensuite bedrooms, perfect for guests or family seeking independence. Tucked beneath the eaves, a hidden attic room becomes whatever you need most, artist's studio, teenager's hideaway, or simply the place you go to think.
OUTDOOR ROOMS: A long bluestone patio stretches along the rear of the house, creating outdoor living spaces for every season. Stone-bordered perennial beds provide color and structure, while a raised vegetable garden satisfies the urge to grow your own. The 18-by-45-foot gunite pool is surrounded by open lawn and the land adjoins over 100 acres of Nature Conservancy land. The grounds offer views, peace, and privacy that will never be compromised.
THE BARN: The 1,536-square-foot converted carriage barn is a destination in itself: art studio, game room, party space, or all three. With fireplace, bar, and a deck overlooking the pool, it transforms any gathering into an occasion.
MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE, TIMELESS SOUL: Everything works beautifully: whole-house generator, central air, propane heat, five wood-burning fireplaces. The standing seam metal roof and hidden 16kW solar array allow for sustainable living without compromise.
WHAT CAN NOT BE REPLICATED: The mature specimen trees, the conserved land next door, the architectural integrity of true American Shingle Style craftsmanship, and that rare combination of deep privacy just three miles from downtown Great Barrington - some things simply can't be recreated. Broken Hill is for those who understand that real luxury is quality of life: space to breathe, room to gather, and the kind of restorative peace that makes everything else possible. Time for your chapter in the story of Broken Hill.