Country glam

A HUDSON VALLEY RESIDENCE REINTERPRETS URBAN CHIC BY TAKING INSPIRATION FROM THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE.

Nowadays the language of contamination is everywhere, making it hard to precisely categorize interiors. Interesting synergies emerge, as in the house seen here, where Sasha Bikoff, at the helm of an important interior design firm based in New York, has created a metropolitan mood that interacts with a freer, more countrified approach. It is a weekend getaway in the Hudson Valley, for a young couple with a daughter. «The lady of the house is very elegant. She likes metal tones, chic shades of gray, velvets that would work well in NYC. Here the challenge was to shift that into a country context. The materials are based on nature: a carpet in the living room like a stream with pebbles, coffee tables in volcanic stone or with mirror tops, rock crystal lamps. Country living is usually associated with rustic imagery, but that is not the direction we’ve taken here». Color plays a decisive role. Bikoff has wagered on white, not as a neutral tone but as a strong presence on a range of different materials: the stones of the fireplace, the black and white carpets, the armchairs. After these subtle shadings comes a surprise: a living area painted in seductive blue. The furnishings have been carefully selected. «I have tried to find objects that seem to exist in nature, but with materials you might find in a New York penthouse». Everywhere there is a clear taste for composition, applied with great refinement. Sasha Bikoff studied art and art history, and has a very original approach to residential design. «I have lived in Paris, and then I moved to New York, working in the field of contemporary art. I didn’t study interior design and I have never worked as an interior designer». The result is a very personal, recognizable style.