Decorating & Design
October 13, 2017
This Modern New York Country House Is The Perfect Cozy Escape
Award-winning film editor and producer Sloane Klevin retreats from her shoe-box size rental in Brooklyn, New York, to her country house in the Hudson River Valley. Nicknamed “Hollywood on the Hudson,” the area is know for the many A-list celebrities who own property there, including Justin Timberlake, Diane Sawyer and Bill Gates. Sloane’s sun-drenched getaway is the ideal backdrop for the design enthusiast to display her collection of coveted mid-century modern pieces — a style she grew to love early, inspired by her grandmother, Dorothy Hoffman, an interior designer. “In full summer, the trees are heavy with leaves and it’s completely private, but it’s also great here with two feet of snow on the ground and a fire going,” says Sloane. Click through to learn more about the all-season getaway which was nominated for our 2017 Home Of The Year.
The wood siding was painted dark grey, and a metal standing-seam roof tops off the industrial look.
Though the original façade was salvaged, a new side-entry porch now acts as the welcoming main entrance.
In the front entry, an unembellished staircase and Alvar Aalto’s sunken bentwood Paimio armchair set the tone for Sloane’s curated mid-century collection.
With windows on three walls and a wood-burning fireplace, the sunken living room is where Sloane spends most of her time. The space holds many of her mid-century pieces, including a Poul Hundevad Guldhoj stool, Greta Grossman floor lamp and vintage Isamu Noguchi table that she bought for her first apartment when she was 19.
A double-sided fireplace warms the living room as well as the open-plan dining and sitting area on the other side of the wall.
A pair of vintage rocking chairs offers classic fireside seating below rustic beams.
Sloane loves to cook and entertain when she’s in the country, so she had ready-made cabinets and subway tiles installed in the kitchen for durability and ease.
The island table was a vintage piece that was elevated to match the countertop height.
The dining nook’s custom-made banquette serves as a casual gathering spot for meals.
The principal bedroom’s uncluttered layout highlights Sloane’s mid-century modern Børge Mogensen chair and stool in the corner, and her George Nelson dresser.
Architect Douglas Larson designed the principal bedroom around the Shaker-style stove installation. Its streamlined design and sitting bench are equal parts art and function. A James Turrell print hangs behind.
A showerhead, railings and a custom-painted six-foot-long vintage clawfoot tub in black add punch to the principal ensuite’s otherwise stark-white envelope.
Barn light sconces and the concrete-and-wood floating vanity are tucked between open rough-sawn wood shelving, which replaces the need for a medicine cabinet.
The home’s original dark pine flooring was stripped and painted white. The iron bed in the second-floor guest room was powder-coated black, while the colorful kilim rug, Amish quilt and vintage chest help warm up the palette.
A wraparound deck was built on the back of the house, overlooking the meadow and pond beyond.
John Gruen
House & Home August 2017
Selina van der Geest