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HOUSE TOUR | ROOMS & GARDENS | WORLD OF CABANA
In the Catskill Mountains of Upstate New York, designer and glassmaker Jonathan Hansen and his wife, actress and filmmaker Anne Richardson, have created a deeply personal retreat where craftsmanship, storytelling and nature come together.
BY FABRIZIA CARACCIOLO | ROOMS & GARDENS | 10 NOVEMBER 2026
Hidden among ten acres of woodland in the Catskill Mountains, just outside the picturesque village of Tannersville, Tree House is the enchanting country retreat of New York-based designer and glassmaker Jonathan Hansen and his wife, actress, screenwriter and filmmaker Anne Richardson. Conceived as a contemporary interpretation of the traditional mountain houses of the region, the property reflects not only their respective creative worlds but also a shared appreciation for craftsmanship, history and the beauty of everyday rituals.
Hansen, whose work moves between decorative objects, furniture, lighting and sculptural glass, has developed a distinctive language rooted in materiality. His creations, from exquisitely engraved glassware to sculptural furniture, have found their way into illustrious settings, such The Ritz Paris and Maison Proust, while his glassware has graced the tables of Schiaparelli. His sculptural work is represented by Les Ateliers Courbet in New York and Paris.
Richardson brings an equally compelling creative sensibility. An accomplished actress and filmmaker, she has written and directed the award-winning short I’ll Hide, You Seek, while her screenwriting credits include several psychological thrillers. Her instinct for atmosphere, narrative and the subtle interplay between light and shadow has undoubtedly informed the character of their mountain home.
To bring their vision to life, the couple turned to longtime friends Daniel Sachs and Kevin Lindores, the talented duo behind the celebrated AD 100 architecture and interiors practice, Sachs Lindores. Drawing inspiration from the region’s architectural heritage, and particularly the historic houses of nearby Onteora Park, they sought to reconcile a sense of generosity with the unpretentious charm of a traditional country retreat.
As the architects explain: “The beauty of the Catskill landscape and the historic houses of Onteora Park inspired Jonathan and Anne’s home. Drawing on an era when architects explored scale and proportion, we designed generously sized, carefully proportioned rooms while maintaining the character of a modest country house.” Rather than embracing the fashionable expansiveness of open-plan living, the result is a succession of intimate rooms, unexpected perspectives and carefully orchestrated transitions.
Throughout the house, rough-sawn local hemlock covers walls and ceilings, complemented by white oak floors, creating an almost seamless dialogue with the surrounding forest. The restrained architecture provides a wonderfully atmospheric backdrop for an eclectic assemblage of antiques, art and contemporary design.
An enthusiastic collector with a particular passion for 18th-century English and American furniture, Hansen has filled the rooms with William and Mary, Chippendale and early American pieces, alongside Asian antiques recalling his childhood in Southeast Asia. These coexist with his own creations, including the dining table, kitchen island, glassware and tableware, many conceived through collaborations with Aerin, L’Objet and The Modern.
The decorative scheme, developed through an intimate collaboration between Richardson and Daniel Sachs, introduces colour, wallpaper and textiles, lending warmth and individuality to the architectural framework.
Beyond the cedar-shingled walls lies another extraordinary aspect of Tree House: its magnificent woodland, a landscape of towering hemlocks, birches, maples and spruces, with carpets of moss and ferns. Hansen has personally spent years gently clearing the forest, opening pathways and revealing hidden vistas. Most charmingly, he even built a forty-foot wooden bridge across the creek below the house, using timber gathered from the property itself.
Far from a perfectly staged interior, Tree House is a living expression of its owners’ creative lives: a place where old and new, art and craftsmanship, architecture and wilderness coexist with an effortless, deeply personal elegance.
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