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Friday Front Porch Feature: A Colonial Home Fit for Founders

The property sits on a hill above the center of Monterey, not far from Lake Garfield. 

MONTEREY, Mass. — Are you looking for a historic home in the hills that perhaps a local founding family used to live in? Then look no further, this is the house for you.

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are discussing a colonial house at 6 Tyringham Road.

The 4,188-square-foot home dates to 1780, with additions built over the last 250 years that include an indoor pool and two-car portico. This house was once home to the Bidwells, the founders of Monterey. William and Jessie Bidwell had operated the estate, Ledgehurst, as a summer resort and inn in the early 1900s.

The house has four bedrooms, four bathrooms and a study/bonus room, and comes with a dishwasher, refrigerator, range, washer and dryer. There's also a three-bay detached garage and two-bay garage on the 1.10 acres. It is only a short walk to the town beach on Lake Garfield or to the town center and the library, town hall and post office.

The asking price is $675,000.

We spoke to Christian Deckert and John Burns with William Pitt Sotheby's International Realty, the agents for the property.

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

Deckert, Burns: There are many historic homes for sale, but this property has the significance of being the home of the Bidwell family, founders of the town of Monterey. It was a former boarding house and has been home to countless stories and traditions of yesteryear. There aren't many historic offerings with an indoor pool, multiple outbuildings and the main home offering this much size and opportunity for restoration.

Do you know any unique stories about the home or its history? 

Deckert, Burns: Former boarding house, and current owners are a racing family with a heritage of winning (I hope they did!)

How would you describe the feel or atmosphere of this home?

Deckert, Burns: The feel is like stepping back in time but still retains conveniences for modern living. Of course, a buyer would like to update some things, but the home has been adored for generations and could continue to be enjoyed without too much legwork. The atmosphere lends to wanting to gather with loved ones and friends. Kick back by the pool and entertain.

Are there any unique or custom elements?

Deckert, Burns: Plenty of unique elements! The primary bedroom balcony overlooking the pool, an indoor firepit in the pool hall, steel I-beam construction and walls of floor-to-ceiling windows to create the feeling of being outdoors.

Are there any standout design features and/or recent renovations?

Deckert, Burns: Standout design features are the way the current owners seamlessly blended the pool house addition to the historic home. 

There are also many period details in the home such as antique moldings, fireplace, stove, etc. 

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?

Deckert, Burns: Discerning buyers can realize the potential without having to sacrifice living in the home for an extended period of time. The home is large enough that you can live in one portion while reimagining another. 

Imagine living in a historically significant home, offering walk to town, Lake Garfield, multiple garaged outbuildings, and brimming with period details and classic New England charm.

Buyers will love the abundance of storage and endless possibilities!

What was your first impression when you walked into this home?

Deckert, Burns: My first impression was jaw dropping! Never have I seen a home in the Berkshires showcasing what this property has to offer. A rare blend of location, history, potential to reimagine, and quality craftsmanship.

This home has been standing proud for a long time, and the right person can ensure that it will for generations to come. 

You can find out more about this house on its listing.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice or an offer to sell. If you're interested in having your property featured, please contact our sales department at sales@boxcarmedia.com.

Pryor & Peacock's Whimsical Furniture Environmentally Friendly

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
05:17AM / Friday, August 21, 2026

 

The company uses digital printing to create the upholstery fabric, saving water and saving vintage furniture from ending up in landfills.

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — A unique furniture store has popped up on Elm Street this month.

Mom-and-daughter store Pryor & Peacock is hosting the pop-up storefront from Aug. 13 to Aug. 25 at 6 Elm. The New Marlborough business is co-founded by Rosalina Wright and Luca Shapiro, who is also the creative director. 

Their online shop was created in 2024 but they wanted people to see the pieces in person, so they're renting the space for a limited time before a long-term tenant moves in.

The store sources prints to create unique fabrics and reimagines vintage and antique furniture acquired at auctions, local shops, and online.

"We source prints from all over the world that date from the late 1600s up through mid-20th century, and Luca turns those prints into fabric by manipulating them, scanning them, oftentimes has to add or subtract things, and then we manufacture the fabric using only digital printing, which is very environmentally friendly, unlike traditional textile printing," Wright said.

Upholstering the furniture can take weeks of work. Shapiro looks for the perfect design for each piece and, if need be, uses Adobe Photoshop to extend the art work to fit or enhance the print.

"One of the most difficult parts comes in marrying the fabric to a piece of furniture because we only use antique and vintage frames also to be earth friendly, and they're also more beautiful and durable than new furniture," Wright said. "So the image has to go with the furniture, so that takes a lot of work."

One of Pryor & Peacock's missions is to be environmentally friendly. Digital printing doesn't use the same amount of water as traditional textile productions do nor does it contaminate water with ink according to their website.

Not only are they saving water, but they are saving furniture from going into the landfill while also using more durable furniture that doesn't break as easily as current pieces. They started their business to create something unique and to help the environment together.

"It's creating something nobody else is doing. People can't continue to buy throwaway furniture. Six percent of American landfills is furniture, and digital printing not only opens up the possibility of being able to put unique images on a piece of furniture, but it also is, as I said, environmentally friendly. So, for us, the excitement is to take an old East Lake settee that somebody's going to store in their barn and forget about, and make it something completely new and surprising," Wright said.

They hope their furniture helps bring a pop of fun to someone's home.

"We think our furniture is very whimsical and surprising, and most furniture today is oatmeal colored couches and gray neutral chairs, and it's boring," she said.

The two named their business after their mothers' maiden names to honor them and believe the name reflects their pieces.

Shapiro works in interior design outside of the business and the two liked working together and thought it would be great to start a business together. Shapiro says they can work well together and that her and her mother, Wright, has flipped houses before and have the same eye for design.

"So it's very easy for us to work together. When we see something, generally we agree on whether it works or doesn't work on a piece. We agree on the color schemes and that sort of thing. So it's very fun and fulfilling to work together," Shapiro said.