Barn-like modern home does simplicity right

This house in Livingston Manor, New York, is an appeal for simplicity. First, there’s the shape—a rectangular box topped with a classic gabled roof. Then there’s the materials—stained pine cladding set against a black metal roof. Taken together, the home cuts a striking geometric silhouette on 45 pastoral acres at the foothills of the Catskill Mountains.

Brooklyn studio Feuerstein Quagliara designed the Hass House as a “bar-shaped” building that’s split into six blocks, connected by a single corridor. The shared living spaces—including the open-plan living room, dining area, and kitchen—are sandwiched by two bedrooms, which offer a bit more intimacy.

“This created a more casual and communal atmosphere for entertaining while accommodating for privacy between the two bedrooms,” the architects explain.

Anna Ritsch

A large span of windows runs the length of the house, which brings in tons of natural light. The main living areas also open up to covered terraces.

Polished concrete floors, stark white walls, and birch cabinetry creates a neutral backdrop for the rest of the house. The main home is just one part of a master plan for the site, which includes an apple orchard, outdoor pavilions, and a barn.

Anna Ritsch

Anna Ritsch