Houzz Tours
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Houzz Tour: Strong, Modern Lines Complement the Countryside
A modern home works surprisingly well in the New York woods, with double-height ceilings for openness and large windows to enjoy the views
The owners of this home live primarily in Brooklyn, but their hearts reside in a tree-surrounded spot in Woodstock, New York -despite the fact that they jokingly call it Bug Acres. Joe Smith, from Hall Smith Office Architecture, has renovated a series of homes for the couple in New York, but expects that this is the only home he will design for them in this area. ‘They like to move around the city, but even though this is just their weekend house, it is their permanent home,’ he says. ‘I expect they will hold on to it for the rest of their lives.’
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here This is a weekend home for a couple and their 2 kids.
Location Woodstock, USA
Size 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Year built 2011
Photography by Rachel Stoller
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here This is a weekend home for a couple and their 2 kids.
Location Woodstock, USA
Size 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Year built 2011
Photography by Rachel Stoller
Taking into account the home’s insect-inspired nickname, the architect created a modern conservatory. ‘The house sits in a clearing in a small basin, and a stream runs through it,’ he says. ‘In some months the swarms of mosquitoes can be deadly. The conservatory gives [the owners] a sheltered place to enjoy the property.
Since they aren’t preoccupied by swatting bugs, the owners can enjoy the sound of the nearby river. ‘The conservatory juts out over the water slightly,’ Smith says. ‘The sound of the running water is beautiful - it became audio architecture.’
Since they aren’t preoccupied by swatting bugs, the owners can enjoy the sound of the nearby river. ‘The conservatory juts out over the water slightly,’ Smith says. ‘The sound of the running water is beautiful - it became audio architecture.’
Although the conservatory can’t be enjoyed in the winter, the architects extended its usability by installing a wood-burning stove.
See more modern fireplaces
See more modern fireplaces
‘For years I looked for the perfect wood-burning stove, but the only ones I could find were either too European looking or potbellied models straight out of the general store,’ says Smith. ‘When I found this Shaker-inspired stove with tapered legs, I knew it was the right one.’
The wood-burning stove is perched on a slab of stone set into the decking area.
Woodstove: Shaker Stove, Wittus
The wood-burning stove is perched on a slab of stone set into the decking area.
Woodstove: Shaker Stove, Wittus
The living room and dining room boast double-height ceilings. Second-floor interior windows from the kids’ rooms and play room open onto it. ‘We wanted the family to be able to be connected, no matter where they were in the house,’ says Smith.
Light fixtures: Lindsay Adelman
Light fixtures: Lindsay Adelman
The architect imagined the windows as long slots framing the views. Brendan Coburn of CWB suggested leaving the wall over the sliding doors blank, and after visiting a nearby historic house, Smith agreed. ‘Frederic Edwin Church, the famous artist, built Olana, his own home, nearby,’ says Smith. ‘I visited and noticed how beautiful the blank walls were. If you put windows everywhere, you lose the power of it.’
In an unconventional move, the architects covered the highest walls with horizontal wood panelling, leaving only a tiny space between the planks. ‘It frames the space the same way a child’s hat frames his face when it’s pulled down over his head,’ Smith says.
The windows were carefully positioned to frame the views. This one was placed to capture scenes of the nearby rocky hillside. ‘I went up during all times of the year and studied the site,’ says Smith. ‘In the bedrooms we positioned the windows so you can lie in bed and almost feel like you are sleeping in the woods.’
The galley kitchen opens to the dining room. ‘We didn’t put top cupboards in, because we wanted to have a window here,’ says Smith. ‘Most of the storage is in a pantry that’s tucked to the side of the kitchen, but the small shelves between the cooker and the fridge-freezer keep essentials close at hand’
A door in the kitchen leads to the conservatory.
A vertical line of windows runs up the staircase, allowing people to experience the views as they climb up.
The entrance to the guest bedroom and a bathroom can be concealed by a curtain. ‘The interior designer, Catherine Brophy, had that idea,’ he says. ‘Pull the curtain, and you have a private guest bedroom. And the curtain is much more interesting than the expected pocket door.’
The entrance to the guest bedroom and a bathroom can be concealed by a curtain. ‘The interior designer, Catherine Brophy, had that idea,’ he says. ‘Pull the curtain, and you have a private guest bedroom. And the curtain is much more interesting than the expected pocket door.’
At the top of the staircase, a window looks out to the panelled facade above the front door. The designers made the hallway more functional by installing a desk and chair. ‘It became an Internet surfing area,’ says Smith.
See 10 ways to make the most of a small office space
See 10 ways to make the most of a small office space
‘In architecture school you are not taught to appreciate decorative objects,’ says Smith. ‘I’ve surprised myself by becoming fond of wallpaper. The designer selected this pattern, and it brings so much life to this wall.’
The stone around the fireplace has a strong lines. The architect had it cut to resemble a picture frame.
‘With the strong lines of windows and doors, panels and a conservatory we envisioned that this home would be like a lantern,’ Smith says. ‘At night it glows.’
Which room is your favourite? Tell us why in the Comments below.
Which room is your favourite? Tell us why in the Comments below.
To reach the front door, visitors walk through an open-air porch with paving stones. ‘The approach to the front of the house is not straightforward, and we wanted to make the way in prominent,’ he says.