Hudson Valley Retreat

In the Hudson River Valley of upstate New York, this tranquil weekend house sits on the edge between an Oak-Hickory forest and a restored native meadow. Conceived as a place to retreat from the City, the house and the landscape serve as a place to unwind, connect with nature, and live by the rhythms of nature. Perched on the high side of the meadow looking northwest, the house enjoys ever-changing vistas to the Catskills, and quiet vignettes towards the forest.

The layout of the house is simple – a long, low bedroom bar is interested by a tall gable space for gathering. The living room is on the meadow side of the gable and enjoys dynamic vistas.

The bedroom bar has two wings with guest rooms on one side of the main living, and the primary and child’s bedrooms on the other, giving privacy without feeling far from each other.

The property’s meadow foreground was carefully transitioned from non-native, European cool-season grasses to native warm-season grasses. The native meadow brings a variety of colors through the seasons and critical habitat for the birds, reptiles, and mammals indigenous to the area.