Midcentury Modern Paradise: Collectors Transform Hudson Valley Home Into Design Showcase

Sayart

sayart2022@gmail.com | 2025-09-24 00:28:16

A striking L-shaped residence in Hudson, New York, serves as both home and gallery for renowned modern furniture dealers Mark McDonald and Dwayne Resnick. Designed by Steven Holl Architects, the 1,700-square-foot structure houses an extraordinary collection of 20th-century design pieces, including rare works by Frank Lloyd Wright and Rudolph Schindler.

McDonald, widely regarded as the godfather of midcentury-modern design, played a pivotal role in reviving interest in furniture by legendary designers Marcel Breuer, Alvar Aalto, and Charles and Ray Eames. The home serves as the perfect backdrop for their curated collection, which includes a rare 1910 Frank Lloyd Wright light fixture and distinctive furniture pieces by Rudolph Schindler.

The building's exterior features finger-width corrugated aluminum with a powder-coated finish, chosen for its cost-effectiveness and maintenance-free qualities. This material creates dynamic interactions with sunlight throughout the day, producing an ever-changing play of shadows across the structure. The architects employed a thoughtful color palette: the inner surfaces of the L-shape are painted in soft cerulean-green, while the outer facades remain white, and the underside of projecting canopies features a muted blue tone as an homage to the Southern tradition of Haint blue, a color historically believed to ward off spirits.

The distinctive L-shaped configuration creates a west-facing garden that seamlessly integrates living and working spaces at opposite ends of the structure. A carefully designed catwalk leads to a pop-up sky monitor that introduces additional natural light while providing access to a flat roof offering panoramic views of the Catskill Mountains, paying tribute to the Luminist painters of the Hudson River School art movement.

Inside, the all-wood interior receives natural light from multiple orientations through carefully framed windows and openings. The south-facing sleeping area features a composition of joined picture windows that overlook the historic Terry Gillette Mansion, creating a visual connection to the area's architectural heritage. Birch plywood lines the open-plan interior spaces, providing a neutral backdrop that allows McDonald and Resnick's carefully curated furniture collection to take center stage.

The architects incorporated subtle yet playful design elements throughout the home. A powder room located at the inner angle of the L-shape is rotated 45 degrees, acting as an architectural hinge between the public and private zones of the house. The room's right-angled door placement and corner-wrapping window reinforce the home's geometric theme, while a frosted glass panel suspended from the ceiling connects this space to an exterior window, enhancing the sense of openness and creating layered lighting effects.

Custom design elements further reflect the architectural concept. A specially commissioned brass "Hudson L" light fixture features a folded body design with diffused LED lighting that mirrors the home's L-shaped form. In the courtyard, a sculptural fountain composed of two folded brass L shapes circulates rainwater in the pond, reinforcing the presence of natural elements and the building's geometric theme.

Sustainability features prominently in the home's design. The house incorporates a state-of-the-art geothermal heating and cooling system that drastically reduces energy consumption compared to conventional HVAC systems. A rain-collecting pool strengthens the building's connection to natural water cycles while supporting the overall environmental strategy.

Built by Peak Construction with structural engineering by TYLin, the project was photographed by Paul Warchol, whose images capture the interplay between architecture, furniture, and landscape. The home represents a successful dialogue between past and present, where midcentury design classics find new life within contemporary architectural spaces.

The residence stands as a testament to thoughtful design integration, where furniture, architecture, and landscape harmonize in continuous dialogue. It demonstrates how collectors can create living spaces that honor design history while embracing modern sustainable technologies and contemporary lifestyle needs.

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