- Overlooking a golf course and close to world-class fishing, Brian and Kathy Campbell's house at 4055 State Route near Fulton, is a great home for entertaining or running as a bed and breakfast. The two-story great room. Brian wanted to build a library and reading room above it connected by a spiral staircase but did not get the chance. Photos courtesy of Gianna GiocondoPhotos courtesy of Gianna Giocon
FULTON, N.Y. – With almost eight acres of property, a highly creative wife, and a dream, Brian Campbell had a roadmap of what he wanted to do as he approached his retirement.
“I always wanted to operate a bed and breakfast,” he said. “I thought, after we retired, what a way to have your own home business.”
He loved to cook and pictured running his own business on the grounds his wife had at 4055 State Route 3 near Fulton. The property backed up to the beautiful Emerald Crest Golf Course and was close to world-class fishing on the Salmon River and Lake Ontario. In the winter, guests could cross country and snowmobile.
His wife, Kathy, Campbell says, “amazes me with her artistic talents.” She could create and decorate the kind of charming and comfortable home that people would want to stay and relax at.
Sprawling ranch near Fulton was designed by owners
(Brian, a military veteran, is immensely proud of the American flag display he made in the front yard with nine bags of concrete and 22 pieces of rebar. “I did it myself,” he said.)
Starting in 1994, they began working on their design.
“We did a lot of research,” he said. “We looked through lots of book and a lot of magazines.”
Finished by architect Ron Brown of Phoenix in 1996, the result was a sprawling, 3,854 square foot ranch, with five bedrooms and five bathrooms.
Unfortunately, they never had a guest at the new house.
Brian was appointed to a new position which forced him to spend a lot of time out-of-state. He was uncomfortable with his wife staying alone with strangers.
Equipment for an outdoor buffet station and an elaborate coffee machine like you might see in a restaurant went unused into an attic.
But the change in plans meant that the couple and their extended families could enjoy the house themselves.
Campbell quotes singer and actress Olivia Newton John when he calls the property his “Xanadu.”
The two-story great room had something Brian always wanted, a 26-foot brick fireplace. At Christmas, the room is “family central” and is decorated with an 18-foot-tall tree. The room is large enough to accommodate an 86-inch television with surround sound.
Ceiling fans hand from the cathedral ceilings and, when a fire is roaring, keeps the spacious room “cozy and comfy.”
Holiday dinners are prepared in the spacious kitchen, which is Campbell’s favorite room.
The self-described “wanna-be chef,” says he likes to “spin” while he is cooking and experimenting on new dishes. The kitchen was designed so that everything is within an arm’s reach.
The owners’ ensuite features a spacious bedroom with an extra-large walk-in closet, and a bathroom with a marble Jacuzzi-style tub with gold leaf accents, two sinks, and walk-in shower.
The bedroom has a private door out to the cedar hot tub, which seats eight people, and the heated saltwater in-ground swimming pool. The pool house has a sink, toilet, and room to change your clothes.
While the property was not enjoyed by guests, the couple’s grandchildren have enjoyed it immensely over the years.
They can explore some of the wooded acreage, play games on the “easy-to-maintain” lawns and dive and slide down into the pool.
In the winter, they ride their bikes and skateboards in the spacious 88-foot-long basement they call the “bowling alley.”
Campbell says the house is versatile and can accommodate whatever plans the new owners can imagine.
It can remain the fun-filled comfortable family house, great for entertaining during holidays and reunions, or it could be used as it was originally intended, as a bed and breakfast or Airbnb.
Campbell says he feels the time has come to downsize into something smaller. He plans to remain in the area to stay close to his children and grandchildren.
For more information about this property, please contact Realtor MariRae Dopke of Hunt Real Estate ERA. Her information is below.
She will be hosting an open house on Sunday, June 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Address: 4055 State Route 3, Fulton, N.Y. 13069
Monthly Mortgage: $2,529 (based on the national average rate of 5.78%, according to Freddie Mac on June 16, for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a 20% down payment. Fees and points not included.)
Taxes: $11,757 (Based on assessed value of $334,500)
School District: Mexico Academy and Central
Kitchen: Owner Brian Campbell loves to cook and calls the kitchen his favorite room in the house. The spacious kitchen features “top-of-the-line” wood cabinetry and a large island can seat four people. A four-burner stove has a grill feature. Saloon doors brings one into a convenient walk-in pantry and coffee can be enjoyed at a sunny breakfast room which looks out onto the front porch.
Living areas: This country ranch was designed from scratch by the current owners. It was meant to be a bed and breakfast and is very welcoming and comfortable. The two-story great room with a 26-foot-tall brick fireplace is the central gathering place. Hanging ceiling fans and the fireplace’s fan system keep the space warm in the winter. The dining room has a recessed ceiling with glitter which sparkles when the lights are on. A second family room is accessible through French doors. Campbell keeps a home office off the front entrance. There is a side entrance and mudroom near the kitchen. An oak staircase leads up to a loft area where Kathy Campbell works on arts and crafts. The space, and the rest of the home, is cooled by two new A/C systems. The home is warmed by rice coal and fuel oil and averages less than $1,000 a year to heat. There are hardwood floors and moldings throughout.
Bedrooms: There are five bedrooms in the house. The owner’s bedroom is spacious with a partially mirrored ceiling and a private door out to the hot tub and swimming pool. It has a large walk-in closet. Three other bedrooms each have their own private bathrooms and double door closets. One bedroom is close to the kitchen and a handicapped accessible bathroom for older relatives and guests.
Bathrooms: The owner’s bathroom features a walk-in shower, marble Jacuzzi-style tub with gold leaf accents, and double vanities. It has a private toilet area.
Outdoors: This 7.95-acre property backs up on the Emerald Crest Golf Course and is close to fishing at the Lake Ontario and the Salmon River. In the winter, it is close to cross country skiing and snowmobiling trails. The grounds are a mix of woods and grassy lawns which are “easy to maintain.” The back patio includes a covered eating area, cedar hot tub, and an in-ground swimming pool, which has a new heat pump and saltwater system. The attached two-car garage is heated. An extended metal pole barn can hold multiple cars, boats, and lawn equipment. The property is 30 minutes from both Syracuse and Oswego.
Agent: MariRae Dopke, Associate Real Estate Broker
Address: 8063 Brewerton Road, Suite 4, Cicero, N.Y. 13039
Email: marirae.dopke@huntrealestate.com
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