In the rolling hills of the Hudson Valley, New York, where stone walls etch the landscape and meadows unfurl toward the Catskills, a 1790s farmhouse quietly persists, its weathered planks and original wavy glass a testament to centuries of daily life. Purchased by a writer and her family who felt an almost magnetic pull toward its patina and past, the house had all the hallmarks of hardy vernacular architecture – yet lacked the coherence and flow of a home ready for the demands of contemporary family life. Over the course of two years, architect Doug Larson and interior designer Jenna Chused orchestrated a meticulous renovation that honours the farmhouse’s historic soul while introducing refined lightness and spatial clarity.

The brief was simple: to preserve the elements that carried time and texture, while reconfiguring the house for open, generous living with three teenage children. Larson’s first move was to re-establish a clear sense of arrival, reinstating the formal front entrance with its Greek Revival trim and restoring both visual and spatial order.

Inside, the living room offers an early indication of the house’s renewed character. Chused layers gingham, corduroy and soft florals with an instinctive lightness, creating interiors that feel relaxed and settled. The palette, grounded in natural materials and muted tones, reads as gently accumulated over time rather than deliberately assembled.

Improving flow was central to the renovation. A once-awkward cluster of bathrooms and a dark kitchen were reworked to open the house toward the landscape. The kitchen, now vaulted and flooded with daylight, carries an easy agrarian character, its vintage Swedish cabinet and restrained tilework offering a sense of familiarity and ease.

Throughout the house, the bathrooms were approached not as purely functional spaces but as small, self-contained worlds, each with its own tone and cadence. In the primary bathroom, the emphasis remains firmly on calm and proportion. A painted Wye freestanding bath sits with authority, its sculptural form grounding the room while allowing light and texture to take precedence. Its softened silhouette and hand-finished surface lend a sense of permanence, as though it has always belonged here. Other elements remain deliberately understated, shaping bathing as a quiet ritual defined by space and stillness.

Downstairs, the guest bathroom introduces a deeper register. Here, a Thames vanity in Black Marquina marble brings weight and contrast, its dark surface threaded with expressive white veining. The marble lends the room an architectural presence, while polished nickel fittings add clarity and precision, catching the light against the richness of the stone. Floral wallpaper wraps the walls, softening the geometry and introducing a sense of intimacy. The result is a bathroom that feels composed and assured, balancing strength with warmth.

Perhaps the most playful moment in the house is the hidden powder room, tucked discreetly behind a swivelling bookshelf in the library. Conceived almost as a private aside, the space is wrapped in finely striped wallpaper, its pattern lending warmth and intimacy. At its centre, a wall-mounted Bourne basin brings clarity and lightness, floating just above the floor.

Across all of the bathrooms, there is a shared sensitivity to how materials age and how spaces are used. Surfaces are chosen for tactility as much as appearance; finishes are allowed to soften and settle. At every turn, the design celebrates “quiet” luxury – spaces that feel lived-in, richly textural, and intrinsically tied to their setting. The result is a farmhouse that exudes an airy, refined character without erasing the marks of time that first captivated its owners.