Seemingly no one would argue that interior designer Meagan Camp’s decorating chops are DNA-based—her parents, grandparents, and even great grandparents all worked in the design world. Dinner table conversation often centered on how spaces influence the way people feel. So unsurprisingly, after studying photography in college and then working as a stylist for 10 years, Camp decided to take the plunge into interior design. She landed her first job, a gut reno in New York City, through a family friend. From there she started building her own firm.
Fast forward eight years or so and Camp was hired by architects at Bohlin Cywinski Jackson to finish the interior furnishings and develop the decorating scope for a new build in Pine Plains. The house is very much rooted in the great architecture of mid-century American and Scandinavian design. “Our client was very specific in knowing what he wanted and how he wanted to live in the home,” says Camp. “He had a clear understanding of his aesthetics, but he didn’t want anything to take away from the mountain views and the straight lines of the architecture. He was very particular on shapes and forms.”
Striking mountain views as far as the eye can see render wall art unnecessary, in the best possible way.
For both the main living space on the first floor, and the bedrooms below on the ground level, Camp leaned heavily on blues and greens, per the homeowner’s preference. “We focused on mixing the color palette with natural materials, allowing the furnishings to work cohesively with the architecture but not distract at all from the mountain views,” she says. With so many lines, angles, and hard materials like concrete and metal, bringing in softer shapes and textures was essential to provide warmth. In the kitchen, wood is balanced with visually grounding materials including soapstone countertops and honed bluestone floors. Copious storage in the kitchen hides almost every conceivable gadget and tool. With open concept living spaces, it’s important to bear in mind that what is necessary and functional in a kitchen space can often be visual clutter when viewed from other rooms, Camp points out.
Opening these large sliders creates a seamless transition between indoors and outdoors that is more typical of west coast living.
Windows were a huge component of this project, to frame the 180-degree view of the Catskills in all their year-round glory. These were specially sourced from Switzerland to provide the clearest, cleanest view. They have a slight UV filter so that the sunlight does not fade the flooring and furniture. Even so, the future here is bright.
