TL;DR
Get decor and gifts delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
A Millbrook, New York, couple built a Greek Revival-style home to display the owner’s collection of English antiques, many of which had been stored in their previous farmhouse. Completed in 2012, the house was designed to feel established in its setting, with architectural details and interiors informed by historic English homes.
A couple in Millbrook, New York, built a Greek Revival-style home to display the owner’s collection of English antiques, after finding that their previous farmhouse was too small for the pieces. The home, completed in 2012, was designed to sit naturally among the site’s mature trees and to evoke the character of an older country house, according to a Veranda report.
The owner has collected antiques for about 30 years, focusing mainly on 18th- and early-19th-century English furniture. Some of the pieces had been in storage while the couple considered what kind of home would suit them. He told Veranda that learning to read carving, timber, proportion and craftsmanship helped him assess antiques, and said an early hesitation over a desired piece taught him to act more decisively.
The couple initially considered building on another lot, but the owner said they changed plans after realizing they wanted to remain at their existing property. The alternative site was a treeless hilltop, which he said did not fit what they wanted for Millbrook. Instead, the house was placed at the bottom of a slope, behind large oak trees, to make it appear settled into the landscape.
Architect Cynthia Filkoff of Di Biase Filkoff Architects worked on the design. Veranda reports that she used a nearby circa-1848 Presbyterian church as a reference for exterior molding proportions and visited English country houses designed by Robert Adam, including Syon House. Interior designer Lynne Stair of McMillen Inc. helped arrange the antiques and art and create backgrounds that complemented rather than competed with the collection.
A Purpose-Built Setting for Antiques
The house is an example of how a collection shaped a new home’s architecture and interiors, rather than simply being placed into an existing layout. The owners needed more room than their farmhouse provided, and the new design gave the antiques—including pieces that had been stored—a setting intended to suit their age, scale and style.
The project also connects new construction with local and historic references. Filkoff used details from a nearby 19th-century church and English country houses to guide elements of the design, while the house’s placement among mature trees was meant to make it feel at home on the property. The result, as described in the report, brings together a modern build and historic furnishings without presenting the house as an original period structure.
Products Worth Considering
Philips Hue Festavia Globe Outdoor String Lights, 32 Bulbs, 91 ft
Philips Hue Large Smart Light Tube, Black – White and Color Ambiance LED Color-Changing Light – 1 Pack
Philips Hue Bridge Pro Smart Lighting Hub
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
From Farmhouse to Greek Revival
The couple’s previous home was a farmhouse on the same 100-acre property, but the owner described it as too small for their needs and for the collection. Their decision to build in the same landscape followed a change of plan: they had been preparing to break ground elsewhere before deciding over coffee that they preferred their existing location.
Construction was completed in 2012. The owner told Veranda that the aim was for the house to look and feel as though it had always been there. The interiors mix Georgian dining furniture, a Regency-period desk and a 19th-century Gothic bench with custom finishes and furnishings. Stair described her role as creating a backdrop that would not overpower the antiques; the report also describes strong colors, including an oxblood dining room and a custom yellow drawing room.
““That was our goal, to make it look and feel like it’s always been here.””
— The homeowner, speaking to Veranda
Details the Tour Does Not Give
The Veranda report does not state the home’s construction cost, total square footage or the full size and value of the antique collection. It also does not identify every object shown or give a complete account of the couple’s building process. The owner’s descriptions of the collection and the design goals are attributed remarks; the report does not independently document the provenance of each antique or provide a formal architectural assessment of the house.
No Further Project Update Reported
The source is a published house tour rather than an announcement of a new building or renovation project. It reports that construction finished in 2012 and describes the home as it stands; it does not give a future construction timetable or announce further changes. Readers seeking more information about specific antiques, architectural features or the designers’ work would need additional details from the owners, the design firms or the original publication.
Key Questions
Where is the Greek Revival home?
It is in Millbrook, in New York’s Hudson Valley, on the couple’s existing property.
When was the house built?
Construction was completed in 2012, according to the Veranda report.
What kind of antiques does the owner collect?
The collection is primarily 18th- and early-19th-century English pieces, gathered over about 30 years.
Who worked on the home’s architecture and interiors?
Cynthia Filkoff of Di Biase Filkoff Architects worked on the architecture, and Lynne Stair of McMillen Inc. helped shape the interiors.
Was the home an original 19th-century house?
No. The report says it was completed in 2012 and designed to feel as though it had long been part of the landscape; it does not describe it as a historic original.
Source: veranda.com
