We are coming to DC! 🌸

Currently Wearing: Soft Pink Allegra Wrap

Wearing: Victoria Beckham Beauty Matte Bronzing Brick

Wearing: Hermès Matte Lipstick in Beige Natural

Reading: Trespasses by Louise Kennedy

Listening: Aspire Podcast with Emma Grede

Watching: The Great House Revival on Hulu

One of my favorite places in the Hudson Valley is the garden and home goods shop Orangerie. They recently moved from Millbrook to Pleasant Valley and shared some before and after pics of the new store. I love seeing the transformation of a space. They inspired me to share a few before and after images of my home renovation with you.

I've only lived in major cities since my 18th birthday, and I do enjoy the energy, culture and at times, even the busy pace of an urban environment. However, as I got older and my business started to grow, I wanted more space to be creative and to stretch out and enjoy fresh air and country life. I had my eye on the Hudson Valley after a visit to a friend's house in Sullivan County before I even started my brand. I put in an informal offer on a charming old farmhouse that sadly had too many structural and electrical issues for me to move forward. The realtor had so much integrity and encouraged me to have the inspection performed before a deposit. I ended up sadly placing the home dream on hold, and put the money I would have spent into starting my company. About five years later, friends rented a place in Dutchess County near Rhinebeck and I visited and began to explore more of the area including Kingston, Stone Ridge and Accord in Ulster County.

Finally in 2019, I put in an offer on a adorable colonial near the village of Stone Ridge. The market was dead but somehow at the last minute I was outbid. It wasn't meant to be, however it did encourage me to prepare my finances for a mortgage and get very serious about this goal. As the pandemic hit, I gave up a new apartment on the Upper East Side that I was planning to move into and instead rented a house in Kingston. I eventually found a fixer upper near Stone Ridge with a couple of acres and a little guest cottage. Properties were selling fast as the area became a refuge for New Yorkers escaping the city due to the pandemic. 

Every single room needed work, and the exterior was painted bright turquoise in the back of the house, and grey in the front. Fixing that issue was my very first change, and I chose White Dove by Benjamin Moore for the house and Blue Gray No. 91 by Farrow & Ball for the exterior doors.

This is the before shot of the living room. I didn't mind the green at all, but wanted to have a fresh coat of paint and also brighten it up a bit.

My friend Ryan, with Jason as his trusted assistant, painted the room as a housewarming gift. The pandemic was crazy and often stressful but I look back and realize that we had a blast with so many laughs. The wall paint is All White by Farrow & Ball.

One thing I've learned from this process is that if I make a mistake, it is best to accept that something didn't work and move on quickly and correct it. We initially painted the fireplace in Railings by Farrow & Ball, and unfortunately the black was so severe against the white trim and walls, and didn't complement my personal style. I waited far too long to fix it, and didn't enjoy the room as much as I would have had I fixed the mistake right away.

A couple of years later I had the fireplace painted in the same All White color by Farrow & Ball to match the walls. The chandelier is from Chairish, the rattan Franco Albini chair is either from 1st Dibs or Chairish and I found the velvet couch on Facebook Marketplace. There is a glimpse of an antique cabinet that I found at Maple Lawn Antiques in Stone Ridge.

This isn't even a true before shot of the kitchen as I painted the cabinets almost immediately upon moving in as a quick fix. They were previously covered in stickers, some light graffiti and black spray paint. The wood burning stove was my own addition as I noticed that there was already a chimney in place.

This was the general plan I created for the kitchen. The vintage aluminum pendants are from 1st Dibs, and the Brass pulls are from House of Antique Hardware. The quartz countertop ended up being from Maple Tree Kitchens in Marlboro (highly recommend this company- excellent quality and service). I left my comfort zone by adding some color to the kitchen. It gets great light so I was able to use darker colors. The cabinets are Studio Green and the walls are Slipper Satin which is a deep ivory with a warm undertone. Both by Farrow & Ball.

A shot of the kitchen during the renovation.

The (almost) finished product. I still have to add a few final touches, but it is getting there. 

I always wanted a farmhouse sink and finally have one.

I love this little breakfast nook. The antique cabinet is from- you guessed it, Maple Lawn in Stone Ridge- and the settee was another Facebook Marketplace find. A few of my favorite cookbooks are stacked above the cabinet: Audrey at Home (thank you, Kerna!), French Country Cooking by Mimi Thorisson (she's one of my favorite follows on IG and Substack), The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook (old-school and timeless!), and A Kitchen in France and Old World Italian by Mimi Thorisson. 

The painting above the settee is from Maple Lawn in Stone Ridge. It may or may not be a George Inness. I like to think that it is. 

I have more before and after photos to share soon including another living room, the guest room, and the primary suite where I installed a giant tub, a walk in shower and converted a storage space into a decent sized yoga room.

The guest cottage renovation is long overdue and is next on the list. I plan to add a front porch, back porch, outdoor cedar hot tub, a laundry room and a walk in closet. It is such a cute little cottage that looks out onto the woods with a seasonal stream.

In 2018 my friend Jennifer Alfano interviewed me for her web site The Flair Index (it has since moved to Substack however the original article is still online here). Jennifer asked me what my life goals are and I answered "Country House in the Hudson River Valley and to have a nice backyard and add a big dog to my family of two small dogs". I added chickens instead of the extra dog but otherwise my life goal is complete. Trying to remember that I shouldn't move the goalposts, and to fully appreciate and enjoy this world that I've created here. It is so convenient to get into the city to see friends, have lunch, visit the museums, etc, yet I get to enjoy the slower pace and fresh air in the country.

Last week I mentioned that in addition to the Heidi Wynne brand I am starting something new. Kingston Mercer is an organic cotton sleepwear and organic cashmere wrap collection that is very much inspired by this area. I expect to launch this fall, just in time for breakfast in bed with freshly baked scones, cider donuts and tea with local honey. I am so excited for this new endeavor and can't wait to share more with you. Hope you are having a lovely weekend! xo, Heidi