An Arts and Crafts Icon Reborn in the Catskills by Jersey Ice Cream Co.

Start typing to search...

As owners of Hayfield, one of the Catskills’ most stylish wedding venues, Christiana Mavromatis and Scott Arnold know a thing or two about love. So when the couple first laid eyes on Minwawa, a grand Arts and Crafts home in Tannersville, NY, they knew it was a perfect match made in heaven. Not only was the couple attracted to the stunning views overlooking a mountain valley in Catskill State Park, they were also drawn in by the home’s sense of history, which was palpable in every nook and cranny.

Designed by Canadian painter and architect George A. Reid, the house was built in 1890 as part of an artist community founded by Candace Wheeler, known as “The Mother of Interior Design.” It was later converted into a private home, remaining in the same family for more than 100 years, until Christiana and Scott purchased it in 2015. Before the couple could write their own tale of the home’s storied past however, Minwawa needed a lot of work.

For Christiana and Scott, there was only one design firm that they trusted with such a labor of love: Tara Mangini and Percy Bright of Jersey Ice Cream Co., whom they discovered via Remodelista. “I love that Tara and Percy embraced the history and the whimsical quirks of the house. Their enthusiasm and respect for both those elements is what made us so excited to work with them and so confident in them.”

Photography by Nicole Franzen.

the home&#8\2\17;s grand ballroom features original beams and paneling, as 17 — Above: The home’s grand ballroom features original beams and paneling, as well as generous windows featuring 100-year-old leaded glass, all of which were painstakingly restored. Here, around the old stone fireplace, Tara and Percy evoked the feel of old Catskill glamour with vintage furniture, including a velvet pouf scored at Brimfield Antique Show for a mere $150.

Before Tara and Percy set foot in the house, Minwawa’s owners had to tackle massive structural problems, as well as “insufficient plumbing, outdated electrical, a complete lack of insulation, and a rotting exterior,” hurdles that were handily surmounted by Lovell Kuhn Construction, whom Christian credits with taking the time to understand their vision, as well as for working creatively and efficiently and with an eye toward sustainability. Finally, after six months of structural work, Jersey Ice Cream Co. was ready to take over on the inside.

a baby grand piano anchors a corner of the ballroom, where the children of the 18 — Above: A baby grand piano anchors a corner of the ballroom, where the children of the house host impromptu dance parties. “As elegant and formal as the ballroom may appear,” Christiana says, “we don’t save it only for special occasions, we use it all the time. We have an old mink coat that we’d found tucked in one of the closets when we bought the house and sometimes in the evenings, before the children’s bedtime, we lay it down like a picnic blanket and make s’mores in the fireplace. Or we’ll play bingo on the yellow pouf in the center of the room.”

In their designs, Tara and Percy let the home be their guide. Thus, every choice was about enhancing soul. Original detail such as the antique light fixtures and some pieces of furniture where repaired and restored. Worn out features, such as the flax on the ballroom walls, were replaced with replicas. Modern inconsistencies were ditched in favor of more traditional elements. Throughout, antique furniture was employed to create a seamless sense of history, while at the same time adding character to each room.

in fall and winter, the couple takes full advantage of minwawa&#8\2\17;s ma 19 — Above: In fall and winter, the couple takes full advantage of Minwawa’s many original stone fireplaces, lighting fires in both the dining and ballroom.

hayfield catskill jersey ice cream co fireplace 20

hayfield catskill jersey ice cream co stairs 21

Above: Tara and Percy furnished the living room with vintage pieces, including leather chairs from Eneby Home and a bench found at Round Top Flea Market in Texas.

surrounded by more original paneling, here painted benjamin moore devonshire gr 22 — Above: Surrounded by more original paneling, here painted Benjamin Moore Devonshire Green 1489, the cozy dining room feels like a rustic tavern. The vintage farm table and chairs are another Brimfield find, while the antique light fixture is from Fed-On Lights in Saugerties, New York.

in the dining room, tara and percy restored a vintage side table that came with 23 — Above: In the dining room, Tara and Percy restored a vintage side table that came with the house.

the redesigned kitchen is one of christiana and scott&#8\2\17;s favorite ro 24 — Above: The redesigned kitchen is one of Christiana and Scott’s favorite rooms. “No one believes that the Smeg appliances are new, and nobody believes the plaster walls haven’t been there for a century,” Christiana says.

The kitchen is located in a newer wing and required a complete redesign to better reflect the character of the house. Here, a vintage sink, subtle duo-toned plaster walls and marble-topped cabinets, again in Devonshire Green, help conjure an old-world, yet still contemporary, feel.

another round top score, the vintage sink, with pedestal legs fashioned by perc 25 — Above: Another Round Top score, the vintage sink, with pedestal legs fashioned by Percy, is the “showstopper” of the kitchen.

in the kitchen&#8\2\17;s adjacent breakfast nook, percy built open shelving 26 — Above: In the kitchen’s adjacent breakfast nook, Percy built open shelving that displays the family’s eclectic mix of vintage and handmade dishes.

when the couple purchased the home, they found many bits of ephemera, including 27 — Above: When the couple purchased the home, they found many bits of ephemera, including old photos and books that now occupy the home’s intimate library.

upstairs, the generous master or bridal suite features a custom made bed by per 28 — Above: Upstairs, the generous master or bridal suite features a custom-made bed by Percy.

throughout the upstairs, percy and tara selected a series of arts and crafts st 29 — Above: Throughout the upstairs, Percy and Tara selected a series of arts and crafts style wallpaper from Bradbury & Bradbury. For the the bride’s dressing room area, they added a pair of golden velvet chairs sourced from Round Top Flea.

the master bathroom features a generous shower lined in moroccan tile from cle& 30 — Above: The master bathroom features a generous shower lined in Moroccan tile from Cle’s Zellige Collection.

hayfield catskill jersey ice cream co bridal suite sink 31

hayfield catskill jersey ice cream co bridal bath 32

Above L: Though it looks like an antique, the master bathroom sink is another one of Percy’s custom creations. It was fashioned from marble that Percy had cut to size and installed on newly turned wooden legs. Above R: The walls and ceilings of the bath were paneled and painted in Benjamin Moore Silver Satin, OC-26.