NYTimes: Turning a Catskills Cabin into a Midcentury Retreat

Nice article in the Home section of yesterday's NY Times, Turning a Catskills Cabin into a Midentury Retreat about Melanie Brandman transforming a simple little cottage on a lake outside of Livingston Manor. I remember this house from when it was on the market, and the redo is stunning. Melanie and her boyfriend also keep a place in Southampton, and her take on why she likes coming up here as a retreat from a very jet-setting life is interesting. It's something I've heard over and over from people looking upstate rather than at the trendier shore getaways - the quiet simplicity one can find here.

Comments

[Bix]

That's a great article, David. Now I can see the nay-sayers say how she paid too much, put too much money into the house, etc. Timing couldn't be better for you guys.

By the way, it went online last night but is in the paper today. Lavish spread with photos,taking over the entire front page of the Home section.

[David Knudsen]

She probably didn't pay too much for then, but she bought at the peak of the market in 2008. There's a new listing on Edgewood Lake outside of Livingston Manor (not the same lake as Melanie's), somewhat larger with 3BR and 2 1/2 baths, on the market for $299,000 that would be a great candidate for a similar cool re-do. Listing: http://search.catskill4sale.com/idx/5776/details.php?idxID=284&listingID=28941

[Jennifer Grimes]

Hi David. I hope you don't mind a shameless plug: Red Cottage Inc. rents this fabulous cottage of Melanie's (Amber Lake Cottage is one of our top 2 rentals). http://www.redcottageinc.com/redcottageinc/rentals/Pages/amb.html I'm a big fan of the small house movement myself. With the success of people like Sarah Suzanka, with her "Creating the Not So Big House" series, I think people are realizing it's about quality not quantity. Light, sight lines, varying ceiling heights. And voila! Cabin makeover!

[David]

Uh, the lake bylaws prohibit renting out, or any commercial activity. Oops!