Valley Girl - Architect Jane Smith

SUMMER VIBES

BEAUTY AND PURPOSE

Jane Smith's home is long and narrow, with the main entrance facing north. Upon entering, the living area is to the left, the bedrooms to the right. The large windows that bisect the eastern part of the house simulate a barn-like structure. Being able to open the western-facing exterior doors offers versatility to the house, making it comfortable for a crowd of up to 70 people to mingle, or for just Smith and her dog to relax and enjoy the wooded views.

ARCHITECT JANE SMITH

VA LLEY GIRL

The clean lines of an industrial kitchen complement the open living area, while the annex and pantry behind offer a space where messier kitchen tasks can be performed. The primary bedroom is at the far end of the house and includes outdoor access through sliding doors and eastern-facing awning windows. The thin-edge bed and side tables are by George Nelson for Herman Miller, the chair by Jules Anderson of Slowood Studios. The upstairs loft includes sleeping sofas and a full bath. With openings at either end, the space overlooks the lower level and allows natural light to flow uninhibited.

PHOTOGRAPHY PETER AARON

Every architect dreams of living in a home they’ve created, and for Jane Smith that dream became a reality in upstate New York’s Columbia County.

“I love the elegant simplicity of it,” she states about the home she completed in Hudson. “I was very careful about everything working together. It’s peaceful and calming.”

The long, narrow house is an homage to the area’s rural setting, where farms once dotted the landscape. Indeed, the functional elegance of area barns were an inspiration to Smith, founder of Spacesmith, the architectural firm based in Manhattan with a second office in Hudson.

“I wanted something that was like a white country house, but I didn’t want it to be painted wood,” she explains. She opted for traditional plaster. “I’ve traveled the world and always gone to places – the Mediterranean, French country farms – where they use that plaster.”

The clean lines complement the steel inset windows, giving the home a modern look and feel. Huge sliding glass doors complete the look. “I wanted to join the outside with the inside,” notes Smith. “I was creating spaces that have light and volume but feel comfortable – and inspirational – to be in.” The 2,600-square-foot home includes a main floor with the living room, kitchen and two bedrooms, while a versatile upstairs loft offers views on both sides to the lower level.

The home is nestled on the property, which dips down from the road, and the entry faces north. A southern exterior can be accessed from the open living area or the primary bedroom; a western wall of glass looks over a grassy meadow and deep woods. “The views from the windows are like ever-shifting landscapes,” decribes Smith. “Constantly changing, constantly dramatic.” –

THERESA KEEGAN

The vaulted ceiling, open living/dining room, and the kitchen island all have spectacular views of the property’s woods. The orange Eero Saarinen Womb Chair adds a pop of color to the muted dining area. Table by Mathew Hilton for Case, Nerd dining room chairs and stools by David Geckeler for Muuto, sectional by Anderssen & Voll.