A House in the Country

by Peter Pennoyer (Contributor), Eric Piasecki (Photographer), Katie Ridder (Contributor)

Nestled amid the lush, gently rolling hills of cattle and horse farms in Millbrook, New York, is a handsome Greek Revival house that looks like it’s always been there. In fact, it is brand new—the collaborative effort of architect Peter Pennoyer and his wife, interior designer Katie Ridder. This irresistible book, exquisitely illustrated with photographs, finely rendered plans, and hand-painted illustrations, tells the home’s story. The design followed Pennoyer’s conviction that historical examples are a springboard for the imagination and offer compelling solutions for new architecture. So, though many characteristics of the house are classical, and, more specifically, Greek Revival, it is also thoroughly contemporary and environmentally friendly, with an exuberantly colorful interior. Of equal weight to the house's interior and exterior design is the fabulous landscape. A passionate, self-taught gardener, Ridder brought her design talent to the creation of the home's garden, inspired by an English cottage garden, with a lush, dense mix of more than 200 perennials, annuals, rare plants, shrubs, and bulbs. The book features a gatefold pullout of the garden plan, complete with a comprehensive key to flowers and plantings.

Genres: Gardening, Interior Design, Architecture

220 pages, Hardcover

Published September 27, 2016

Reviews

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the garden section of this book. The house is beautiful.

[False · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pandemic has thrown off my reading since I receive the bulk of what I do read from public libraries. This is an oversized book published by Vendome and each section is a delight. The house and landscaping were designed by husband and wife architects, and you can tell the house was put together over decades, not a rush to have a completed structure done in a blink. It's obvious a lot of love was put into this dream home, but also, a ton of money. Whenever you think about where you would want to live, and how, the bottom line is always....lots of money. Still. One can dream, and this is a dream home, exquisitely done.

[Judy Girod]

A beautiful book and gorgeous home. I loved seeing the garden and touring the home in 2018 during the time the dahlias are at their best. So many great finishes and updated classic concepts were explored by Peter and Katie in this exquisite home.