Marbletown Inn

Kingston • 2017

This stone house was constructed in 1790 as an inn along the road from Kingston to New York. It was expanded in various stages over the past centuries. The new design respects and reinforces the integrity of various historic layers while consciously adding another with local interventions.

On the ground floor the existing salons, dining room, and kitchen were carefully preserved. Dark colors celebrate the large, historic fireplaces and rustic floor. The only additions here include a kitchen island, an powder room, and a new mechanical system. In the basement former storage areas were converted into a new, commercial kitchen for chocolate production and a wine cellar by excavating the floor and placing new apertures for natural lighting.

On the second floor, contemporary plywood and plaster built-ins complement the original, solid fieldstone and heavy-timber framing. The wooden roof was restructured to reduce the number of collar beams. The gable was opened and fully glazed, celebrating the sculptural appearance of the chimney in front of a view of the Catskills.

The landscaping of the large property around the house introduces an outdoor pool and new paths to a branch of the Hudson River that runs through the site. An existing horse stable is remodeled into an event space.