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Architect Visit: A Passive Barn-Style House for the Future, Hudson Valley Edition

Margot Guralnick January 20, 2023

Ian Hague needed a place to chill out. When he acquired 75 untouched acres in New York’s Hudson Valley, the NYC fund manager envisioned a “hermitage in the forest” tailor-made to his interests: reading, building balsa wood model airplanes, driving a Tesla, and decompressing amid the treetops. He also wanted to create a state-of-the-art, low-impact retreat and enlisted sustainability specialists BarlisWedlick Architects of NYC and Hudson, New York, for the job.

After encountering a fox on the property during his first visit, Hague dubbed his Columbia County spread Fox Hall, and during the many months of collaborating with lead architect Alan Barlis and team, a multi-building compound emerged. On Gardenista, we explored the grounds, which include a reconstructed 19th-century barn, natural swimming pool (filtered entirely by plants and organic systems), and three-story porch with sauna. Today we’re touring the linchpin of the project, Hague’s built-from-the-ground-up barn-style house.

Photography by Jonny Valiant unless noted, courtesy of BarlisWedlick Architects.

the \1,800 square foot structure is a passive house: it meets a stringent 17 — Above: The 1,800-square-foot structure is a passive house: It meets a stringent set of architectural standards, including “a super-insulated building envelope” and constant fresh air circulation, that Barlis says “decreases the energy required for heating by 90 percent and for cooling by 80 percent—and we’ve often seen even better results.”

The open-plan main floor is designed around floor-to-ceiling windows supplied by Intus. “The exposed timbers are reminiscent of the 19th-century dairy barn we salvaged and placed on the property,” says BarlisWedlick’s in-house interior designer Elaine Santos. “Ian brought images of whitewashed spaces to our design meetings, and so we wanted to keep the overall feeling of the house layered but light: oak floors and white walls.”

hague also likes color, so hints of navy and mustard were incorporated into the 18 — Above: Hague also likes color, so hints of navy and mustard were incorporated into the neutral backdrop, though only sparingly on the main floor to avoid competing with the view. The sofa is a Jean Marie Massaud design for Environment, upholstered in vintage tent canvas. The rug is a long-haired sheepskin from Sacco Carpet.

barliswedlick tucked the fridge and pantry into shiplap cabinetry and detailed 19 — Above: BarlisWedlick tucked the fridge and pantry into shiplap cabinetry and detailed blackened steel overhead shelving with sliding glass doors: “The architectural glass has an undulating pattern, so it acts like another window in the room, reflecting natural light from the main windows,” says Santos.

The undermount sink is from stainless specialists Amerisink, and the faucet is Brizo’s Solna in chrome. The range is a Bosch 30-inch 300-series (with a Bosch vent integrated into the suspended steel cabinets). Note that the backsplash extends to the back of the cabinets; it’s patterned with two-by-two-inch Rceef Ceramic Tiles from Mosaic House.

another crucial element in the design vocabulary is shiplap paneling 20 — Above: Another crucial element in the design vocabulary is shiplap paneling with a 1/6-inch seam/rabbet. Used here on the kitchen island, it’s painted Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal in a matte finish throughout. “The vertical orientation of the boards draws your eye upward,” says Santos.

The counters are concrete fabricated by Get Real Surfaces (which also made the diamond-polished concrete floors in Tiina Laakonen’s house). The Tractor Stools are modern classics by BassamFellows.

&#8\2\20;this stair is like the host who welcomes you in and guides you thr 21 — Above: “This stair is like the host who welcomes you in and guides you through the space,” says Barlis of the angled design, which is painted a bright citrine to contrast with the “boulder-like slate-gray millwork.” The dining table light, a new addition to the room, is the French Ipso Facto Pendant from the 1970s. Photograph by Reto Guntli.

above l: the rocker in the lower level guest room is a variation of the carson 22 — Above L: The rocker in the lower-level guest room is a variation of the Carson Rocker made by Onefortythree, a husband and wife team in Las Vegas. Santos sourced the Roman shade from the Shade Store. Above R: In addition to the bookcase at the base of the stair, shelves are cleverly inset into the stair wall.

the primary bed is set in a millwork niche &#8\2\20;so it feels like part o 23 — Above: The primary bed is set in a millwork niche “so it feels like part of the architecture,” says Santos—and allows for unobtrusive bookshelves and closet storage on either side of the bed.

a macramé panel by sally england takes the place of a headboard and 24 — Above: A macramé panel by Sally England takes the place of a headboard and lends texture to the tailored space. The lights over the shelves are Schoolhouse Electric Isaac Short-Arm Sconces.

in the primary bath, the designers planted a 68 inch long signature hardware tu 25 — Above: In the primary bath, the designers planted a 68-inch-long Signature Hardware tub on a base of the same rough-sawn Eastern white pine used for the timbers (all of which are finished with LifeTime Wood Treatment, a stain Santos describes as “made of plant extracts and minerals”).

The Cube concrete floor tiles are from Mosaic House and the subway tiles are from Daltile.

navy and mustard make a bold reappearance in the guest room, furnished wit 26 — Above: Navy and mustard make a bold reappearance in the guest room, furnished with West Elm’s Storage Platform Bed (no longer available). The accent wall is in Benjamin Moore’s Twilight Blue. The blanket is the Onda Throw in Gold by Arcade Avec, made of hand-spun, hand-dyed merino wool by a cooperative in Brazil. Notes Santos, “The two colors balance each other,” and like the macramé in the primary bedroom, the wool adds visual softness.

next to the guest room, there&#8\2\17;s a tv room with a neo shaker chair m 27 — Above: Next to the guest room, there’s a TV room with a Neo Shaker Chair made of American black walnut.

the house&#8\2\17;s upper level consists of the living area and an elevated 28 — Above: The house’s upper level consists of the living area and an elevated bedroom and bath.

on the bottom floor: a guest room and tv room with a trio of beanbag chairs. 29 — Above: On the bottom floor: a guest room and TV room with a trio of beanbag chairs.

For more passive country houses, see:

N.B.: This story is an update; the original post ran on April 29, 2020, and has been updated with new links and information.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the article about?

The article is about an architect's visit to a natural pool and passive house in New York's Hudson Valley.

What is a natural pool?

A natural pool is a swimming pool that uses plants and natural filtration systems instead of chemicals to keep the water clean.

What is a passive house?

A passive house is a type of building that uses very little energy for heating and cooling, relying on insulation, air-tightness, and passive solar heat gain instead.

Where is the pool and passive house located?

They are located in New York's Hudson Valley.

Who is the architect mentioned in the article?

The architect's name is Carolyn Bailey.

What materials were used to build the passive house?

The passive house was built using prefabricated structural insulated panels (SIPs) and a timber frame.

How does the natural pool work?

The natural pool uses a combination of gravel, sand, and plants to filter the water and keep it clean.

What are some advantages of a natural pool?

Some advantages of a natural pool include lower chemical use, lower maintenance costs, and a more natural appearance.

What is the overall theme of the article?

The article highlights sustainable and eco-friendly building practices and showcases an example of a beautiful and functional natural pool and passive house.