By Design: A Journey Through the World of Design in Big and Small Moments
The House That Whispered Stories: A Hudson Valley Farmhouse Transformation
In the early days of the pandemic, a young couple from New York City found themselves drawn to an 18th-century farmhouse in Tivoli, New York. The home, with its white clapboard facade and gabled roof, seemed like the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. Yet, as night fell, the old house revealed its quirks: lights flickered on and off, doors creaked open and shut without explanation. It was then that the couple turned to designer Adam Charlap Hyman to not only furnish their new home but to infuse it with life, joy, and a touch of the Hudson Valley’s signature spookiness. The result was a space that felt both warmly welcoming and intriguingly unsettling, a place where the past and present intertwined in unexpected ways.
Adam Charlap Hyman: The Designer with a Passion for the Eccentric
Adam Charlap Hyman is no ordinary designer. At just 35, he has carved out a niche for himself as a master of eclectic, layered interiors that defy easy categorization. Through his firm, Charlap Hyman & Herrero, which he co-founded with his former RISD classmate Andre Herrero, he has created spaces that are as much about storytelling as they are about aesthetics. Whether it’s a Manhattan loft filled with the imagined history of European émigré academics or a line of ear-shaped pillows crafted from vintage kimonos, Charlap Hyman’s work is always a bit unexpected. His approach is deeply personal, often involving the creation of dollhouse-like maquettes and fictional backstories for the spaces he designs. For the Tivoli farmhouse, he imagined it as the country retreat of an architect-professor, a place where modernity and tradition could coexist in a state of deliberate unease.
The Design Process: Blending the Old with the New
When it came to the Tivoli farmhouse, Charlap Hyman and his clients wanted to create something that felt truly unique. The house, with its scrubbed pine floors and beamed ceilings, provided a rugged backdrop for their vision. Charlap Hyman began by drawing inspiration from the work of other designers and artists who had tackled similar colonial-style homes. He looked to the 1783 residence once owned by curator David Whitney and architect Philip Johnson, as well as the Modernist saltbox house of his own great-aunt and uncle. The result was a design that was both deeply rooted in the past and unapologetically modern. In the living room, a sprawling asymmetrical textile work by artist Sophie Stone covered part of the original red brick fireplace, while spindly 1980s floor lamps by Fabio Lombardo stood sentinel on either side. The overall effect was one of controlled chaos, as if the house had been lovingly curated by someone with a keen eye for the unexpected.
A World of Influences: From German Expressionism to Shaker Simplicity
The Tivoli farmhouse is a testament to Charlap Hyman’s ability to weave together a wide range of influences into a coherent whole. In the dining room, a mural by artist Lukas Geronimas, inspired by the work of French Cubist painter Albert Gleizes, covers the upper half of the walls with refracted emerald-and-cerulean shapes. These geometric patterns echo the more traditional Shaker dining chairs and patchwork quilt cushions that line the window seat. Upstairs, the main bedroom features a heavy pine bed made from designs by Italian Modernist Enzo Mari, paired with thick, dark gray felt blinds that evoke the work of German conceptual artist Joseph Beuys. The study and guest room, with their vibrant Adelphi wallpaper and dark green carpet by Madeleine Castaing, suggest a later, more relaxed phase in the fictional professor’s life. Throughout the house, the mixing of eras and aesthetics creates a sense of evolution, as if the space has been lived in and loved for decades.
A Home That Celebrates Life: Joy, Imperfection, and the Beauty of the Unexpected
Despite its many layers and influences, the Tivoli farmhouse feels, above all, like a home. It is a place where life can be lived fully, without fear of imperfection. The couple, who recently got married and are expecting a child, wanted a space that could adapt to their changing needs. Charlap Hyman, who even consulted on the design of their wedding, ensured that the house was not just beautiful but also forgiving. The colorful, layered interiors are capable of embracing everything from a child’s toy to a spontaneous dance party. In the guest room, a cloud-shaped plastic pendant lamp by Susi & Ueli Berger hangs above a chubby chrome Ikea bed from the 1980s, creating a sense of playful wonder. The house, in the end, is not just a collection of objects but a living, breathing entity that reflects the stories and aspirations of its inhabitants.
By Design: A Celebration of the Beauty in the Imperfect
Adam Charlap Hyman’s work on the Tivoli farmhouse is a reminder that design, at its best, is not just about creating beautiful spaces but about telling stories. It is about finding the perfect balance between the old and the new, the polished and the imperfect. In this house, nothing is as it should be, and yet everything feels exactly right. It is a place where the past whispers through the walls, where the boundaries between reality and fiction blur, and where the joy of living is celebrated in every detail. For Charlap Hyman, this project was not just another design challenge but an opportunity to create something truly special—a home that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. And in that, he has succeeded, offering a testament to the power of design to transform not just spaces but lives.
