Millerton Farmhouse

Located on 25 acres of farmland in upstate New York, this family retreat is a modern take on the traditional farmhouse. The home combines contemporary detailing and materials such as blackened steel and concrete with vernacular agricultural building forms. A careful attention to spatial and volumetric relationships allows the home to feel both modern and contextually appropriate for its rural farmland setting.

“The concept was a farmhouse compound with a series of buildings attached by walkways. In that regard, it had to feel like it fit into the farmland vernacular of upstate New York, but with a modern architectural language.” –Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBA

The home’s pitched roofs reference archetypal barn forms, and exterior materials continue this dialogue with agricultural architecture. The siding is reclaimed barnwood sourced from local historic barns that had been dismantled. Exterior concrete walls and zinc corrugated roofs complement the weathered grey color of the barnwood siding, resulting in a home that harmonizes with its Hudson Valley setting.

The home is a touchstone for the owner couple and their extended family, so the design concept centers on a series of buildings attached by covered walkways and interstitial spaces. This composition means the home can accommodate the couple’s large family gatherings, but still retain an intimate feel for just the two of them. The main wing of the home is organized around the central gathering spaces including the living room, dining room and kitchen, and a covered walkway connects to the detached garage which contains a full guest suite.

Blackened steel shelving and a custom cooking hearth in the kitchen, along with a collection of custom-designed furniture and lighting throughout, complete the home’s interior environment.

“The house flows very naturally into the landscape, and into the dynamics of this growing, evolving family.” –Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBA

Project Team: Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBA, Design Principal; Mark Olthoff, AIA, LEED® AP, Project Manager; Dawn McConaghy, AIA, LEED® AP BD+C, Project Architect; Matthew Hostetler, LEED® AP, Architectural Staff; Debbie Kennedy, LEED® AP ID+C, Interior Design; Ana Brainard, Interior Design Staff; Phil Turner, Gizmo Design

Key Consultants: United Construction & Engineering Inc., General Contractor; Rennia Engineering Design PLLC, Civil Engineer; Devore Associates, Landscape Architect; Berlinghoff Electrical Contracting Inc., Electrical Engineer; Silman, Structural Engineer; William Perotti & Sons Inc., Mechanical Engineer; Renfro Design Group, Lighting Design; Old Farm Nursery, Plant Selection & Installation

Photos: Nic Lehoux