The Astor family name conjures up images of Gilded Age wealth, similarly gilded real estate, and necessarily rich heirs and heiresses, but Rokeby, the 420-acre Hudson Valley estate owned by Astors for nearly 180 years, tells a vastly different tale. The 43-room main house was built in 1815 and expanded periodically over the years—including substantial additions by acclaimed architect Stanford White in 1894. Today, it houses 43 rooms and a slew of let’s say … less-than-wealthy heirs t… (View original article)

This historic property close to Glasgow in Scotland has been enviably modernised

Tour House is an arresting period house in Ayrshire which has undergone significant refurbishment in the last few years, and successfully blends traditional features including gothic doorways and corner turrets, vaulted ceilings and large open fires with a fine range of modern improvements which include modern bathrooms, a bespoke kitchen and upgraded heating systems.

The roof was full… (View original article)

The third highest residential price recorded in Sydney has been paid by a mystery buyer for a house in Point Piper / File

THE third highest residential property price ever recorded in Sydney has been paid by a mystery buyer for a harbourfront landmark.

Known as the “Bang and Olufsen house” due to its design reminiscent of a hi-fi sound system, the Point Piper home sold for $33 million – the high… (View original article)

Art called Steampunk that has influenced everything from product design to fashion to fine art will be on display at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum this Spring. The Steampunk design movement features a neo-vintage twist on 19th century industrialized looks and Victorian decorative motifs. The new exhibit, titled “Steampunk: Nature & Machine”, will open on April 25th with a reception from 6:00 -8:00 pm, and will run until June 15th. This is the first exhibit dedicated to Steam… (View original article)

As the momentum of each semester has students bouncing from libraries to dining halls to dorms, it is easy to forget that these rolling Berkshire hills surrounding us hide a wealth of interesting sights and opportunities for adventurous exploration. There is perhaps no better example of the fascinating and often overlooked locations offered by the College than Mount Hope Farm.

On Sunday, a few friends and I took the five-minute drive to the site. Upon reaching the gate, we ascended a… (View original article)

Peter Hill, the skateboarding Globe International co-founder and his wife, Angela have sold the

colonial-gothic style mansion, Invergowrie Estate, on 1.1 hectares in Hawthorn.

The hush hush sale of the Coppin Grove home – once a finishing school for the city’s young ladies – has probably fallen short of setting a record price for the Melbourne market.

The sale estimates are $20 million plus, possibly in two separate sales. It cost $10.75 million in 2002. The buyers are… (View original article)