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It may come as a surprise that Jenni Kayne has always wanted a home in New York’s Hudson Valley. The designer, after all, is defined by her distinctive California-inspired minimalism—think a palette of whites, sands, creams, and sages, as well as materials like natural woods, leather, and boucle. Her furniture is named after Los Angeles neighborhoods like Brentwood and Topanga Canyon, as are her candles. Her coffee table book, Pacific Natural, is a staple in homes from Montecito to Marin.
But the rural East Coast region has always held a fascination for her, even as she resided over 3,000 miles away. “I just fell in love from afar—that feeling of being surrounded by farms and great restaurants,” says Kayne.
After her friend bought a home in Tivoli, a Dutchess County hamlet famous for its wooden houses upon the Hudson River, Kayne decided to buy the house next door. After several months of renovations, it’s finally complete—and ready for Kayne (as well as her friends) to enjoy.
Kanye did take some cues from her past California projects with her farmhouse—especially her ranch in Santa Ynez, a place she describes as surrounded by “rolling hills and the vineyards.” There’s an emphasis on outdoor-indoor living: floor-to-ceiling windows look out onto a well-appointed deck, a pool, and the bucolic grounds include a greenhouse, sauna, and a lavender garden. (Head out to meander through them yourself, and you’ll likely hear cows nearby mooing.) “It s all about looking out to nature,” says Kayne.
Inside, there are still plenty of boucles and linens—airy decor signatures of Kayne. Yet, in Hudson, she embraces a moodier ambience than usual. “We wanted to do something a little bit different,” she says of her interiors. “We played with this cozy idea, inspired by the idea of changing leaves and foliage—stuff we don’t get in California,” she says. Kayne imagined a fall garden, and then set out to interpret what it would look like if you brought that inside.
There’s a statement rust sofa, black marble countertops, and a kitchen backsplash adorned with herb and floral motifs. The bedrooms are accented with rich earth tones, including chocolate browns. A mudroom, meanwhile, is painted with smoke limewash. “It’s something different and exciting,” Kayne says.
Much of the furniture is from Kayne’s own Jenni Kayne homewares line. However, she also worked with Sheila Bouttier of Galerie Provenance to source antiques and collectible furniture throughout, including Les Arcs stools by Charlotte Perriand. On the wall hangs three abstract works by artist Benjamin Abramowitz, and tables are dotted with photography books of Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans. Alpaca and cashmere throws can be found in every corner.
Now that Kayne has tried her hand at Hudson style, how would she describe it? “I feel like it s all inspired by nature—cozy, warm, and at the same time effortless,” she says.
