A Marcel Breuer–Designed Masterpiece Comes on the Market for $4.2 Million
The Bauhaus-style hilltop estate in Croton-on-Hudson was built for artist Vera Neumann
To many, waterfront living means an ocean-facing manse or a picturesque retreat just steps from a placid lake. However, this new-to-market six-bedroom home literally takes water views to new heights by offering a sweeping vista of the Hudson River from its 3.5-acre hilltop perch.
Built in 1953 by renowned architect Marcel Breuer, the 4,064-square-foot residence encapsulates the best of Bauhaus design with clean lines and bold pops of color. It was crafted for artist Vera Neumann—whose colorful paintings were reimagined as whimsical scarves, each marked with her signature ladybug—and her husband, George. Nicknamed “Breuer on the Hudson,” this stone home was one of the Hungarian-born architect’s proudest achievements and was featured on the cover of his 1955 monograph, Sun and Shadow.
Also dubbed the “Neumann House,” the single-story residence was built to make the most of its majestic location, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows on two sides and a louvered courtyard that offers breathtaking views to the east. Sinuous stone walls echo the shape of the land, while a covered breezeway links to a four-bedroom guesthouse above.
Neumann commissioned Breuer to create not just her home, but also her factory and showrooms. In the 1970s, she enlisted him to update the Neumann House’s main building and guesthouse, which equally embraced the architect’s and client’s desire for indoor-outdoor living.
The current owners, devotees of Breuer’s style, spent more than four years reviving the home with modern conveniences while staying true to the original vision. In 2019 it won an Excellence in Historical Restoration award from the Preservation League of New York State. Complete with four baths, indoor and outdoor pools, and slate flooring, as well as Honduran cypress ceilings and matching custom built-in furnishings, this is a remarkably preserved example of architectural history.
Discover more of the estate, located just an hour north of New York in picturesque Croton-on-Hudson.