HOUSE TOUR | ROOMS & GARDENS | WORLD OF CABANA
An 1840 house in New York’s Lower Hudson Valley, with good bones but a dated decor, is given new life with a beguiling mix of old-world prints and well-considered antiques. The San Francisco-based designer, Heidi Caillier, talks Busola Evans through the bright botanical-filled space.
BY BUSOLA EVANS | ROOMS & GARDENS | 14 DECEMBER 2024
The cozy library, painted Toro Rosso by Portola Paints, with a custom sofa in Pierre Frey fabric, a Bas van Pelt Dutch wicker armchair, an antique Italian Regency and an ottoman upholstered in Robert Kime fabric © Haris Kenjar. Styled by Mieke ten Have.
The living room with pink grasscloth walls, Jamb London sofa, armchairs from The Wicker Works, ottoman in Robert Kime fabric, side table from Westenholz Antiques, art from Saved NY and 1950s game table with Swedish chairs © Haris Kenjar. Styled by Mieke ten Have.
Few interior designers enjoy the luxury of being handed free rein over a project, but such was one homeowner's unwavering confidence in Heidi Caillier that she was given an open brief for the renovation of this historic house in New York's Hudson Valley. A daring move perhaps, but not when one is familiar with Heidi’s work.
Since launching her eponymous studio less than 10 years ago, the American (now San Francisco-based) designer has become celebrated as much for the way her interiors look (an eclectic European sensibility, clever layering, fearless use of print, endless antiques) as the feelings of comfort and nostalgia they inspire.
It is this signature time-worn yet timeless aesthetic which has many devotees clamouring to request, quite simply, a ‘Heidi home’. Built in 1840, this 3000 sq ft, four-bedroom home was purchased during the pandemic as a bolthole for the client, her husband and their four young children. While there was no need for structural interventions, the house was a peculiar mix of tired and over-embellished.
A Hudson Valley home by Heidi Caillier. Images by Haris Kenjar. Styling by Mieke ten Have.
“It felt very fanciful,” explains Heidi. “There were a lot of decorative paint details and extra elements that felt like it needed to come out so we could really let the architecture sing.” One of these was the trompe l'oeil effect on the hallway walls, which was stripped back to allow the original painted wood flooring to take centrestage. However, both Heidi and her client were keen not to make any of the decor appear new or pristine, but instead embark on a sensitive renovation that stayed true to the home’s historical roots while being suitable for modern family life.
“I absolutely adore how everything's just a little bit crooked. It's a little bit wonky, but beautifully wonky,” says Heidi. The dining room, located off the hallway, showcases Heidi’s penchant for vintage-style floral print – the walls are dressed in Swakeley’s Chinoiserie wallpaper from Hamilton Weston while in the dining nook, armchairs are upholstered in a custom fabric from Jasper Textiles. Elsewhere, she favours British stalwarts such as Robert Kime, Colefax and Fowler and de Gournay, whose hand-painted wallpaper adorns the primary bedroom.
The dining room, featuring: Swakeley’s Chinoiserie wallpaper from Hamilton Weston, Robert Kime drapery fabric, 19th century English Oak bamboo chest from Jefferson West, table linens from Nickey Kehoe + Cutter Brooks, antique Gustavian dining chairs in Rose Tarlow fabric and an antique Karl Johan Revival chairs © Haris Kenjar.
But Heidi’s designs thrive on the tension she creates between different elements and in several rooms, for instance, she offsets light-hearted print with dark wooden furniture. Her flair for mixing styles, colours and patterns is largely intuitive, she insists. “I just know when I know,” she says. “I really want to avoid things feeling matchy so there has to be something a bit off. I will play with a combination until I get that feeling in my gut.” The result is often a clever juxtaposition of old and new, like in the sunroom where vintage wicker is freshened with a green, contemporary coffee table.
Heidi is clearly not averse to unexpected moments: the living room is a surprising bubblegum pink, a result of grasscloth walls inherited from the previous owner, which Heidi initially considered removing. “It's one of those things that would be hard to replicate,” she says. “It's got a nice texture and the grasscloth has been there for so long that it has a slightly worn patina, which I loved.”
A Hudson Valley home by Heidi Caillier. Images by Haris Kenjar. Styling by Mieke ten Have.
Another delightful departure is the library on the lower ground floor, which is drenched in scarlet gloss, a clever trick to counteract the low ceilings. “It was the first red room that I've ever done,” says Heidi, who admits she had to go through dozens of colors to find the right shade, Toro Rosso by Portola Paints.
“I wanted it to feel lively but I didn't want to do it brown or a dark green because they feel so predictable.” Antique furniture is a crucial component of Heidi’s designs and most pieces – from the 19th century Chinese settee in the living room to the 18th century French writing desk in the rather glamorous mud room – are a result of painstaking sourcing. “I'm constantly looking for new vendors,” she reveals. “I tend to get bored very easily, so I don't want to use the same thing twice. I spend Saturday mornings on antique sites and will go down a rabbit hole.”
The project is soon set to embark on its second phase, revamping the kitchen and children’s bedrooms, but the family is enraptured by the transformation so far. “The client sent me the nicest email several months after we installed it, just saying how much they love it,” Heidi says. “The kids are still able to be themselves in there, and nothing feels too precious, which is always the biggest compliment.”
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