Living Spaces: An Exploration of New York City Residences
In the picturesque landscapes of New York and Connecticut, two distinctive farmhouses stand out. Each one, a testament to its unique character, serves as a personal retreat or a family hub.
William Waldron's 1760 Dutch Colonial farmhouse in New Lebanon, New York, is his personal sanctuary. The interior, featuring a cool, Northern European palette, is a soothing retreat for the celebrated interior designer. The living room, in particular, is a space of tranquillity, adorned with a painted blue table found in Hudson, adding a powerful and cheerful jolt of color. A high-style Venetian mirror from the 1800s is juxtaposed by a duo of spare Swedish chairs from the mid-century, creating an intriguing contrast.
Across the border in Connecticut, Michael Trapp's farmhouse offers a different charm. Trapp, a designer known for sourcing patina-rich treasures, has transformed an upstairs room into a guest bedroom or scheming space. The walls celebrate the irregularities of the structure's original plaster, while the draperies are handwoven French linen sheets tacked in place, and the cushions are covered in Turkmen kilim scraps.
The Novogratz home, on the other hand, serves as a family hub. In the Berkshires living room, the walls are painted Linen White from Benjamin Moore, and the furniture includes a white-painted vintage bench, a garden chair, and a pair of nesting tables. One of the nesting tables was salvaged from a Manhattan sidewalk and then covered in plaster. The room also houses a Samick piano, often played by the Novogratz family's son, Breaker.
Artist Jason Middlebrook's work can be found in the Novogratz home. Known for creating abstract artworks based on natural geometries from vertically cut wood pieces, Middlebrook's wall works feature wildly colorful fractals, chevrons, 3-D mazes, ziggurats, and angular roses. His work, primarily active since the 1990s, blends sculpture, painting, and public art.
Venetian plaster covers the walls of another farmhouse, this one in Cincinnati. The upstairs room, used as a guest bedroom or for scheming spaces, showcases the original plaster's irregularities. An antler displayed on top of one of the tables was purchased at a Boy Scouts sale in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, adding a rustic touch to the room.
Each of these farmhouses, unique in their own way, tells a story of personal style, creativity, and the charm of bygone eras. They are more than just homes; they are sanctuaries, hubs, and works of art in themselves.
