A Phoenix Rises: Malin+Goetz Founders Reconstruct Their Historic Hudson Valley Home After a Devastating Fire
From Ashes to Elegance: Reimagining a Legacy
Haroldhurst Farm: A Rural Retreat Reborn
Nestled within the sprawling 187-acre Haroldhurst Farm in the Hudson Valley, the stately Greek Revival house of Matthew Malin and Andrew Goetz is a testament to enduring beauty and renewed purpose. After a winding journey past a vibrant red barn and serene pond framed by weeping willows, the magnificent two-story structure emerges, embodying the couple's transition from urban sophistication to cultured rural living. Andrew Goetz playfully refers to their pugs, Piet and Harold, as their "working pugs," with Harold lending his name to the farm, a charming nod to Vita Sackville-West's celebrated Sissinghurst garden in Kent.
Cultivating Nature: The Founders' Green Oasis
The couple's passion for horticulture is vividly expressed in their expansive ornamental kitchen garden. A diverse array of fennel, tomatoes, and chard thrives during the summer, complemented by an orchard bearing apples, peaches, persimmons, and quince. Malin reflects on the fleeting beauty of peonies, which blaze brilliantly in late spring before succumbing to the season's end, a cycle he describes as both glorious and abrupt. Goetz likens gardening to a biblical narrative, encompassing periods of scarcity, abundance, and natural adversities like plagues, floods, and fires, encapsulating the raw, unpredictable essence of nature.
A Devastating Loss and an Unwavering Vision
Haroldhurst Farm endured a monumental trial in late October 2022. Just weeks before Malin and Goetz were set to move into their meticulously restored home, a farmer friend delivered the crushing news of a catastrophic fire. The inferno reduced the house to its original stone foundation, sparing only a few elements like the banister, newel post, and new windows, which were delayed in transit. Devastated, the couple initially contemplated a modernist redesign or even selling the property. However, driven by a desire to avoid a multi-year setback and their existing architectural plans, they chose to rebuild a faithful replica, preserving the spirit of the original structure.
Harmonious Interiors: A Blend of History and Modernity
By Thanksgiving 2024, the Greek Revival replica stood proudly, repositioned to offer stunning views of the pond. Inside, reclaimed 19th-century pine boards from Pennsylvania, supplied by LV Wood, recreated the authentic feel of the original flooring. A Federal-style mantel, salvaged and stripped of centuries of paint, now reveals intricate fretwork, left in its raw state. The walls, predominantly coated in Benjamin Moore's White Dove tinted plaster, emit a luminous warmth as daylight permeates the space. The ground-level library features a subtle Phillip Jeffries grasscloth, providing a neutral backdrop for a vibrant blue Milo Baughman sectional and a vintage Lone Ranger poster.
Curated Comfort: Furnishings with Character
Despite the house's formal exterior, characterized by crisp black shutters against white, the interior furnishings selected by Goetz and Malin exude a comfortable, intellectual quality, as noted by designer John Hulka. A historic Dutch chandelier illuminates a Saarinen Tulip dining table. In the living room, Arne Jacobsen's iconic Egg chair is paired with a deep-green George Smith sofa, a nod to Hulka's initial design concept, harmonizing with the weeping willows outside. Local artworks, including a print by Ellsworth Kelly and a photograph by Georgia Ranney, blend seamlessly with whimsical ceramic piggy banks and vintage floral paintings, reflecting the couple's fondness for unique, quirky pieces. Goetz's office continues this theme, adorned with numerous pug portraits, including one by New York artist Maira Kalman.
Echoes of the Past: A Legacy Preserved
Even as Malin and Goetz have transitioned from their namesake company, traces of its influence subtly persist within their home. The kitchen boasts an 18th-century French farm table beneath a constellation-style David Weeks light fixture, a design reminiscent of their first Los Angeles store. David Weeks's wife, Georgie Stout, was responsible for the brand's distinctive graphics. Upstairs, an asymmetrical console by J. Wade Beam for Brueton, a piece chosen years ago for their Hong Kong store, is crowned with miniature sculptures from Constantin and Laurene Leon Boym's Buildings of Disaster series. This, along with their sunken garden built upon the original stone foundation, serves as a poignant reminder of the past, integrating the narrative of ruin and rebirth into the very fabric of their home.
Embracing the Land: A Sustainable Vision
The transformation of Haroldhurst Farm includes a practical potting shed, a vital addition for gardening tools and supplies, cleverly designed to conceal parked cars from view, ensuring unobstructed pastoral vistas from the house. Matthew Malin, sitting amidst the garden's peonies, reflects on his past experiences at Kiehl's and Prada, which shaped the distinct apothecary style of Malin+Goetz, while Andrew Goetz's marketing acumen from Vitra informed their design philosophy. Their hands-on approach to their 1.1-acre working garden, where they dedicate around 20 hours weekly, is complemented by local gardeners. Goetz proudly states that "almost everything" they consume is homegrown, a testament to their deep commitment to sustainable living and an evolving understanding of companion planting, which has successfully combated pests and disease, turning natural challenges into triumphs.
A Harmonious Environment: Blending Indoors and Outdoors
The interior design of the house consciously blurs the lines between indoor and outdoor living. In the living room, a green George Smith sofa intentionally draws the eye towards the natural beauty beyond, while a screened-in porch adjacent to the library allows for ample airflow, a design choice reminiscent of pre-air-conditioning eras. The choice of Benjamin Moore's White Dove for the plaster walls creates a luminous, lived-in effect that adapts to the shifting natural light. The back porch, opening onto a casual garden with potted plants and a newly added stone wall, serves as a tranquil space for reflection and guest entertainment. Goetz believes that a new space requires time to evolve, to "live with it for a while to see what it wants to be," emphasizing an organic approach to design that respects both history and nature.