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The House: 255 S Broadway, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706

Co-agent: Aurora (Rory) Tishelman

Co-agent: Carolyn Joy

The Broker: Houlihan Lawrence

Nick Churton, from the Houlihan Lawrence London marketing office in the UK, is reminded that a great view can change our lives.

Staring out from the east side of the Hudson River towards the west, I was reminded of a sea cliff on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It’s called the Kilt Rock, and, not surprisingly, the rock’s folds and strata make the cliff look somewhat like a plaid kilt.

From 255 S Broadway in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, looking over to the other side of the Hudson – which slides gracefully by in the middle ground – the west bank is dominated by the Palisades, a series of skirt or kilt-like-looking cliffs. It is a stupendous vista and the very one the current owners were so captivated by when they first saw it.  They weren’t even looking to buy a home, but why let a little thing like that get in the way of possessing a breath-taking view?

If the outlook of this house is a lesson in positioning a classic home then the interior is a lesson in living in one. Nothing is fancy, but everything is classy; this home has been loved, and it shows. If you are given to these things as I am, you will feel the vibe the moment you enter and will be sorry to leave it behind when you go.

Set in two tranquil acres, this house was built in 1905, when the view was the same as it is today, and was practically rebuilt in 2010. Hastings on Hudson is only 20 miles from Manhattan – a 40-minute scenic and mind-and-spirit-replenishing journey by train.

One doesn’t buy houses like these; they buy you. Just ask the current owners.

Nick Churton, of the Houlihan Lawrence London office in the UK, visits a classic home with a modern twist.

The Property: 577 Millwood Road, Chappaqua, NY 10514

The Agent: Pamela Franklin

The Broker: Houlihan Lawrence

After a root and branch home refurbishment it’s sometimes difficult to tell if a house is new or old. In the case of 577 Millwood Road, Chappaqua in New York, this question hardly matters because the answer unequivocally is that it is a now house.

This imposing home is built grandly with Greek and Roman classical influences. But if the outside is a showstopper, the inside is a revelation. Using one of the architect owner’s allies, natural light, the orientation of the building has been maximised to let the sunshine flood into this generous, crisp white space. However perhaps the most effective tool the architect used was attention to detail. Just when you think it would be good to have a cupboard here or a particular floor covering there, you find that these things are already in place. Slide open exquisitely crafted, easy-close fitted drawers, and the contents become softly illuminated. Here you don’t really have to think about how to live in the house because a master architect has already done so for you. This is concierge design.

For instance, should you realise that it would be nice to live slightly apart from house guests or, for that matter, a family member, the architect has anticipated your need. The spacious guest house is separated from the main house by a handsome glazed link that at a stroke turns the property into one superbly adaptable home.

There is only one drawback; guests or family will never want to leave. In fact, once you live in the main part of the house, you will never want to leave either. This house is that good.

Nick Churton of the Houlihan Lawrence London office visits a beautiful home in the Greenwich Back Country where the less said is always, the better.

The House: 4 Ashfields Lane, Armonk, New York

The Agent: Angela Kessel

The Broker: Houlihan Lawrence

You don’t have to play polo to enjoy living at Conyers Farm, a gated community between Greenwich and Armonk. And as far as polo ponies are concerned, you don’t even have to know which end the hay goes in. But the meticulously manicured polo field at the entrance to the estate gives a clue to how well things run around here.

And the people who live at Conyers Farm appreciate things run correctly. After all, many residents manage or have managed important organisations like Fortune 500 companies, investment banks, major sports franchises and sections of the US government. To mention more about the residents would be indiscreet, and if there is one thing you get at Conyers Farm, it is discretion – that and a highly comforting degree of security.

Wrapped within this haven is the home I visited. It is the last word in efficient and expansive living. But here’s the thing, this home may be a beautiful Greenwich villa, but first and foremost, it is a home. It is comfortable without being pretentious, welcoming instead of intimidating, unstuffy and relaxed rather than formal. It is a kick-your-shoes-off sort of place, but in a matter of moments can be dressed for dinner.

The property, wrapped in ten beautifully landscaped acres, includes a lovely pool, pool house, tennis court and garaging for seven cars. The house contains eight bedrooms, eight batrooms, spacious reception rooms, an eleven-seater theatre, gym, library and office.

The Conyers Farm Association provides 24/7 security and maintains roads and and roadside grounds to an astonishing degree. For those who still run important things in New York City, the rail service from Greenwich takes only an hour. And for the weekends, from Westchester airport, just fifteen minutes away, you can jet to Palm Beach in 3 hours and Nantucket in one.

If you like polo on your doorstep, you will love it here. But, if stick and ball isn’t your thing, don’t worry; you will still feel right at home. Now, I should finish; to say more wouldn’t be done in this circle.

Nick Churton of the Houlihan Lawrence London office visits Buckhorn in Pound Ridge where versatile doesn’t come close as a description.

The House: Buckhorn, 60-66 Pound Ridge Road, Pound Ridge, New York

The Agents: Mary H Palmerton and Jody Rosen

The Broker: Houlihan Lawrence

Some people will look at this property and see a traditional home in a magnificent setting and, with the advantage of a contemporary barn to house a collection such as art or wine, they would not be wrong. But as with contemporary art, others will see beyond what’s in front of their eyes and observe something different.

I see the traditional home as a beautiful guest house for my nearest and dearest, its adjoining lake house for fabulous parties and then convert the barn into a magnificent, modern, open-plan duplex residence for me. I’m thinking city loft in the country. The opportunity is fantastic, and an architect would flip. But that’s only my take: yours will be different.

The setting for Buckhorn is spectacular. The 15 acres easily accommodate a large lake, woodland, main house with a connected lake house, studio over a 2-car garage, a staff house, a guest house, cottage and pool with pool house. And then of course there’s the barn. I think a great deal about the property comes back to the barn and the unique and exciting home or collection space it could become.

Buckhorn isn’t one property; it is a series of properties awaiting a buyer who can understand how the components would work best for them. In that way, dear reader, whatever you think you are looking for in a home, hold that thought. Go and see Buckhorn: it may not have been what you thought you were looking for but it may well be just what you need. Also, you are only 40 miles from New York City and the property borders the Morgenthau Nature Preserve – thus ensuring your near neighbours are of the wildlife variety.

This property is the vision of a couple with extraordinary creativity. But the masterpiece isn’t yet finished. It is like an abstract painting. Many will be unaware which way up it should be hung. But you will.