Highlands Hideaway

The Highlands Hideaway was designed within an existing footprint and foundation on a commanding promontory in the Hudson Highlands, surrounded by steeply sloped woodland. The previous structure had grown without regard for spatial harmony or the current owner’s needs, and the redesign established an open, coherent plan for entertaining family and guests — including a convertible fencing piste for father-and-son bouts, achieved by placing the living and dining areas end to end with room to clear furniture from the floor.

A strong entry axis organizes the plan, running from the driveway up to the porch, through the front door and foyer, down a clerestoried main hallway, across the foot of the dining and living room, and out through black-framed windows to the south yard and tree canopy beyond. The guest wing occupies the quieter east end over the original foundation and can be fully isolated with an attenuating door. A vaulted second-floor study shares the clerestory light above the stair and opens to a porch with panoramic views of the surrounding canopy. The master bedroom suite straddles the guest wing and includes a concealed exit.

The kitchen sits at the center of the home’s public spaces and the exterior entertainment deck and pool, with a bi-parting service window for easy passage to the outdoor dining area. Additional amenities include an in-ground hot tub, mahogany outdoor shower, and sculpture garden.