Ten years back Rachelle Spero seen her friend, ceramic artist Ayumi Horie, who had been in the process of renovating a schoolhouse linked into a church constructed in 1898. Wires were hanging anywhere, there was water damage and it had been in need of structural help. Spero publicly admits how cynical she had been.
But in 2011, when she was searching for a home in upstate New York, Spero reconnected with Horie, then seeking to sell her newly renovated home. Spero saw photographs of the altered space and the way her friend had resurrected it, and knew right away it’d be her home.
at a Glance
Who lives here: Rachelle Spero along with her dog, Ginger
Location: Cottekill, New York
Size: 1,300 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 1 full bathroom, 2 half baths
Rikki Snyder
After Spero moved, she did very little besides freshening up the walls with a new coat of Benjamin Moore’s White Dove. “I appreciate the home design Horie created, since it is very natural and functional,” says Spero.
Rikki Snyder
The superbly crafted shelves in the living room screen pottery produced by local artists, including Horie. An original painting by Maira Kalman of Alexis de Tocqueville’s book Democracy in America hangs on the entryway wall. This painting was featured in Kalman’s illustrated book And the Pursuit of Happiness.
Before Photo
BEFORE: This church was established in 1898 as the Dutch Reformed church. In the 1980s it had been offered to an artist who lived at the schoolhouse behind the church. He utilized the church to make and showcase his art.
After Ayumi Horie purchased the home and renovated the church’s schoolhouse to the present living space, she maintained what was the refuge and used it primarily as a pub, similar to the former owner. Spero is currently using the church as a cultural center for the community.
Rikki Snyder
AFTER: A flat-screen TV is tucked into the living area’s walnut built-in. “The simplicity of the design is what makes it beautiful and inspirational for me to include my own touches and pieces from my travels,” Spero says.
Rikki Snyder
Horie had gutted the schoolhouse and designed the layout herself. “She spent a lot of time at the details of the home,” Spero says. “She hand picked each piece of timber for the windows, staircase, bookshelves and cabinets. She’s a perfectionist, and it pays off.”
All of the wood in the home is maple, except for a cherry countertop in one of the baths.
Rikki Snyder
Spero’s collection of vintage luggage tags hangs over a 1920s-era jelly cupboard in the kitchen. “I purchased the bag tags in the collector in Hong Kong,” she says. “There are tags out of over 20 distinct cities and states, including Egypt, Hong Kong, Mexico, London, Germany and lots of more. I really like the graphics, since they tell a story about the place or the interval.”
Brooklyn artist Nancy Nicholson custom created the yellow stained glass over the door that connects the kitchen into the living area.
Rikki Snyder
The kitchen features a clean and functional appearance, with maple cabinets and stainless steel countertops, as well as a large dining room table right in the center. It is Spero room in the home.
The decor reflects that the homeowner’s passion for travel. By way of example, the red and yellow tea tins over the stove are out of South Africa. The reddish vessels over the cabinets are Japanese picnic baskets from the 1940s.
Spero’s mother gathered the various birds. “She insisted that I use them at the home, and I longed for a long time,” Spero says. “I transferred them around several times until they eventually found their home. I get more questions about those ducks than every other item in the home.”
Rikki Snyder
A sliding pocket door separates the den from the living room.
The vibrant art is by Earl Swallisan of Hudson, New York.
Rikki Snyder
Spero uses the den space as a second living area and office.
Rikki Snyder
New flowers, more vivid red furnishings and vibrant art liven up the space.
Rikki Snyder
Spero’s brother included a wall to divide the den out of a 400-square-foot studio for artist Jennifer Woodin.
Rikki Snyder
Original aerial pictures of the church by the 1900s hang by the front entry.
Rikki Snyder
Even though the former church sanctuary’s stained glass windows and light fixtures are original, Spero demolded, painted and extra insulation to create the space more comfortable. “I utilized open-cell foam at the ceiling and also closed-cell insulation below the floor of the church. This significantly helped contain the heat from the woodstove. I didn’t want to change anything regarding the church arrangement, as I believe it is perfect,” Spero says.
She hosts an yearly art show at the space every November. Called Crafted, it comprises work from pick craftspeople in the Hudson Valley.
Rikki Snyder
Fresh white walls and maple wood trim brighten a guest bedroom on the main floor. This room also displays Spero’s second original Maira Kalman painting.
Rikki Snyder
The entire bathroom on the main floor also houses the laundry area.
Rikki Snyder
Spero was unsure at first on the toilet’s aluminum sink, but she’s grown to appreciate it. Kevin Seekamp hand crafted the cherrywood counter tops. In addition, he did all of the carpentry, for example, maple cabinets, throughout the home.
Rikki Snyder
Spero added this Japanese soaking tub. Horie designed the layout the toilet tiles.
Rikki Snyder
A red comforter which Spero purchased on a trip through Africa punches up the warm wood at the upstairs guest room.
Rikki Snyder
A yellow couch, trendy blue carpet and knickknacks decorate a seating area in precisely the exact same space.
Rikki Snyder
The community is now working hard to set the church as an exhibition hall for setup artwork and community-based public artwork projects. They are calling it “C H R C H Project Space” and will be cooperating with regional associations, including the Women’s Studio Workshop along with the Hudson Valley Seed Library, to bring artists to the space and the community.
Rikki Snyder
Spero hosted her very first family Thanksgiving meal at the church past November. She’s four brothers, three sisters and 13 nieces and nephews. “I was blessed to have 16 loved ones see in November, along with the church was an ideal place for our family feast,” says Spero.
Rikki Snyder
Here Spero relaxes in the kitchen with her dog, Ginger.
Spero had been visiting the area for approximately a decade and was always pleased with the amount of artists and galleries in the region; she is now pleased to call the town home. “I have become very linked to the community as a consequence of possessing the church,” she says. “Instead of keeping the church for private events, I have opened it up to the community. Michael Asbill is the manager and has been very successful at organizing community events. The people are amazingly talented and down to earth. I almost don’t want to foster the region too much, like I want to keep it special.”
See more photos of the house
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