CLAVERACK HOMESTEADS

I remember the first time I drove up the Taconic Highway and crossed over into Columbia County. I was very familiar with the neighboring tourist destinations--the majestic Hudson Valley Estates to the south, the forested Catskills to the west, and the cultured Berkshires to the east-but never found reason to visit the working farms of Columbia County; that was not until my first client asked to meet at a piece of land he just purchased there to build a weekend home. Driving past the familiar woodland corridor of Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess County, suddenly before me lay the most beautiful agricultural landscape I had ever seen. "If this is Columbia County," I said to myself "I want to live here too."

Shortly thereafter, I returned and purchased my own little piece of this paradise to build my home. Twenty years later, fate has brought me the pleasure of designing country houses all over the country, but my favorite commissions are still in Columbia County. The region evokes an idealism that must be strived for when designing a home here. This is because of the distinctive heritage of the region's rural homes and villages; my favorites being the 17th Century brick home of the Dutch Colonists, the 18th Century Villages of Kinderhook and Chatham, and the 19th Century Shakers community of New Lebanon. The beauty of all of Columbia County is that nothing was created for pretension; everything was designed to function and to suit its location. At intersections throughout the county sit classic farmsteads--those rustic compounds of buildings that are the image of an uncomplicated life-from every era and many still in use.

My architectural master plan for Claverack Homesteads is a reflection of all things Columbia County. Created from farm fields and outlining woodlands, this is an innovative collection of properties. All has been done using state-of-the-art techniques of sustainable planning, allowing new settlers into the area yet preserving the rural character and existing natural habitats. My master plan also includes a unique approach to building homes that assures the familiar look of the classic farmhouse while at the same time having no two look alike. These are true homesteads consisting of a collection of structures with barns, studios, and/or guesthouses, carrying on the heritage of the region's rural compounds. Each structure is made from good house parts derived from the historic details of the homes in the area I admire. At the same time these are thoroughly modern properties, designed to function perfectly for today's life, to be energy efficient, and easy to maintain. What I am most proud of is that the interior, the exterior, and the landscape of the homesteads have an unpretentious elegance, ready to evolve over time as the homeowners add their personal touch.

I hope you will visit Claverack Homesteads so that you can experience first hand the attention to detail, the emphasis on quality, and the ongoing efforts by all who are working hard to make this a rural haven.

Sincerely,
Dennis Wedlick

www.ClaverackHomesteads.com