Renovating a 1940s Farmhouse in the Hudson Valley
25th June 2021
A dream home in the Hudson Valley with the loveliest deVOL kitchen hidden inside.
Upping sticks and moving to the country has never seemed more appealing. It feels like everyone is searching for more space and more of a connection with nature and the outdoors after a year of being cooped up. But for some, the move from the big city came long before lockdowns. After 16 years living in New York, Brigid and her husband decided to buy a little 1940s fixer-upper in the Hudson Valley, just down the road from his old family home, and transform it into their dream house.
Beginning at the tip of Manhattan and rising all the way up to the state capital, Albany, the Hudson Valley has become the ‘it’ place for many New Yorkers. The scenery is so spectacular it inspired a whole art movement in the 19th century, its famously wide river carves through mountains and woodlands and farmland and the prettiest villages dotted along the riverside. Over the years, these little villages have become cultural hubs full of independent shops and cute restaurants and art galleries, paired with epic trails, secret waterfalls and some of the country’s oldest vineyards, it’s no wonder this place has been enticing so many people from the hustle and bustle of the big apple.
Although to us Brits 1940 seems quite new, it’s actually considered a relatively old property in the US so Brigid was keen to keep what she could and make it really authentic. Clever decisions, like the idea to open up the ceiling but use beams made from the attic floor, are what make this place so special.
The whole project was done at an impressive pace. The first time the digger plunged into the ground was August 2019 and by February they were done! It’s even more admirable when you discover that this is their first big renovation project, luckily they ended up working really well together. Brigid’s background project managing major fashion shows for the likes of Vogue meant she already had a whole skillset that came in very handy. She was actually surprised by how similar they were.
The kitchen was one of the bigger jobs as the original was in a tiny room at the other end of the house and so they decided to extend and create one large space for entertaining. Brigid had long been a fan of deVOL and had even visited our St. John’s Square showroom on a trip to London. It’s always such a compliment when people take time out of their holiday to come and see our showrooms. After years of following along on Instagram, it just so happened that she began work on the project just as we opened our New York showroom and the rest, as they say, was history.
They opted for our beautifully simple Shaker cupboards painted in Lead and Printer’s Black with Bella Brass handles and one of our iconic Ionian taps. All our furniture is still handmade in Leicestershire, England and shipped over to the US. Our team of carpenters and painters, from the young apprentices to the long-served cabinet makers, all take pride in making deVOL furniture and this is what makes every kitchen so special. We don’t have our own fitters in the US but Brigid had found the perfect team and our cabinets arrive constructed and painted so they’re actually quite easy to install, plus our project managers are always just a phone call away if you have any questions. The worktops were also sourced locally from Peter Brooks – honed Carrara marble, our favourite.
Of course, the whole house was a dream but my favourite part (other than the fabulous deVOL kitchen) has to be the little porch dining area. The vintage table and chairs, rustic stone floor and just a hint of understated glamour from the pretty chandeliers. It reminds me a little of Petersham Nurseries, which is an absolute dream and a must-visit if you find yourself in South West London. The idea of sitting down here with food from the local farmers’ market or your own back garden, maybe some wine from the Hudson Valley vineyards and being surrounded by incredible views out to the river, well, that just seems like heaven to me.
Thank you Brigid for sharing your amazing home, your story and these beautiful photographs with us.
Photography by Angela Pham – www.deitchpham.com
Fitting / Contractor on this project – @rik_finehomebuilding
Do check out Brigid’s Instagram and her new ventures @100_milesnorth & @threegirlsupstate
