Designer Todd Raymond transforms a 200-year-old barn into the ultimate Hudson Valley hideout.

A Cowrie bent chair by Brodie Neill pairs with a Tacchini sofa and vintage Paul Kingma cocktail table.

THE PROJECT

Todd Raymond, designer and founder of NYC-based Studio Todd Raymond, was called on to transform a 2,500-squarefoot Hudson Valley barn house into an upscale weekend home by a pair of New York-based lawyers. The three-bedroom, two-and-half-bathroom home, initially a Dutch barn, had a dated yellow maple finish in every room, which was completely stripped out and painted black to highlight the wooden beams and infuse a distinctly industrial look. “We wanted to create a space that had a minimalist but refined aesthetic and exuded a warm and welcoming environment for our clients and their guests,” says Raymond.

The clients purchased the home shortly before the pandemic.

Wooden beams create an industrial, rustic aesthetic.

THE PROCESS

The clients had total faith in Raymond and his team. “They were very involved and enjoyed the design process as much as us, without ever rushing us to buy things all at once,” he shares. “This allowed us to shop together, ponder over each selection and its use in the home, and the opportunity to travel to see other spaces for inspiration.” This unhindered approach gave Raymond and his team the space to make thoughtful design decisions over the course of two years. “We wanted the furniture and art to be bold and stand up against the architecture, but we also wanted to highlight the architecture and emphasize the fact that we are in a 200-year-old barn,” adds Raymond. “And instead of going heavy on colors, we played with different textures to give it a classic rustic look.”

Wolf appliances in the kitchen

Mikael Kenta’s “Jesus” (2017) hangs behind May Furniture’s Sunday table.

THE CHALLENGE

The project began before the pandemic, but once lockdown measures were announced, there were a series of unexpected challenges that Raymond and his team had to face. From navigating COVID-related health concerns to grappling with shipping delays, they had to pivot and adapt on the fly. And though most of the indoor renovations had already been completed, there was still no furniture. To top that, the team also had a rather out-of-the-box incident. “A bear ate one of our pillows!” shares Raymond. “We had some pillows delivered via FedEx, and before the client could get the box inside, a bear found it and tore it up. Needless to say, we had to have new ones made.”

Accent table from Gestalt New York

THE DETAILS

The house’s lower floor features a carefully curated selection of statement furniture. Most of them are black, which contrasts the light hues of shearling and linen spread across the living room. Adding a bit of Brutalist drama, an industrial-strength replace stands out in the living room, while the bedroom boasts large windows with picturesque views of the woods. The house comes complete with an outdoor area featuring a repit resting on a bed of pebbles and black Adirondack chairs perfect for entertaining guests.

Beds were sourced from West Elm.

THE OUTCOME

Despite the challenges, the overall project was an absolute pleasure for Raymond and his team to work on. “As a designer, it’s a recipe for success when you have a cool space and fantastic clients willing to trust you,” he concludes. “I’m very happy with how the space turned out and how it feels like a combination of all things interesting, calm, layered and comfortable.”

A reclaimed Russian oak bench

Gestalt New York’s woven rattan lounge chair

Patio furniture was sourced from RH.

DESIGN DETAILS

DESIGNER
Studio Todd Raymond studiotoddraymond.com

ARCHITECT
Preston Scott Cohen, Inc. prestonscottcohen.com

BUILDER
Keith Sartorini, Sartorini Constructio sartoriniconstruction.com

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Jeff Haab, Haab Landscaping haablandscaping.com

RESOURCES

WORKSTEAD
Lighting fixture in dining room workstead.com

SACCO
Living room rug saccocarpet.com

**OVERLAND
** Australian sheepskin overland.com

**WEST ELM
** Bed westelm.com

**DESIGN BY THEM
** Dining chairs designbythem.com

**GESTALT NEW YORK
** Living room accent tables and woven rattan lounge chair in bedroom gestaltnewyork.com

ZAK + FOX

Pillows in living room zakandfox.com