Earlier this year, we identified an architectural treasure not far from the Pine Plains Mill: the Federal Style Oliver Bronson House.
Originally built in 1811 as a private residence and later used as a reform school for girls, the Bronson house has sadly fallen into disrepair. But with permission from Historic Hudson, we assembled a team that included our fabricators, installers, photographers, and an inspired stylist. In all, eighteen people over three days helped recreate a world in which The Hudson Company’s flooring—some of it as old or older than the house itself—could exist in a setting full of character and architectural detail.
Special thanks to our friends Colin King, Andrea Gentl, Martin Hyers, and Dani Case.
Antique French Oak
French vintners coined the term terroir to describe the earthy mix of climate, soil, and weather conditions that make wine taste the way it does. There’s no equivalent word to describe lumber, but the concept of terroir applies: every piece of wood on earth originally came from a tree, and that tree grew on a unique patch of soil in its particular corner of the world. The wind, weather, soil and sun make it what it is. That’s why this collection of Antique French Oak is so special, and couldn’t be replicated in any other place.
Sourced last autumn, this wood was salvaged from floorboards in farmhouses east of Paris in the French towns of Metz, Nancy, Dijon, as well as Lorraine and Bougogne in the region of Est. Dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, thesehouses were sturdily built and well loved. You wouldn’t find the kind of high-polish case furniture favored by the various Louis here; instead you’d be enchanted by the rustic simplicity and unspoiled beauty of the architecture and the surrounding countryside. Picture charmingly idiosyncratic paint colors, pictures and lighting fixtures just slightly askew, clean and fresh-smelling tea towels, and the promise of fresh bread each morning. So much history and daily life unfolded in these houses, and some pieces of it are coming to America.
Go Behind The Scenes
The Hudson Company Story
Go behind the scenes and see how The Hudson Company sustainably sources, mills, and finishes a wide range custom floors, high-character wood paneling products, and reclaimed timber beams. Locally owned and vertically integrated, The Hudson Company proudly provides the A&D industry with New York's finest wood floors and surfaces.
Click any of the video stills below to view The Hudson Company video, filmed and edited by Jenner Brown, with titles by Amanda Jane Jones.
After watching the behind-the-scenes video, visit us at our FSC-Certified mill in Pine Plains, NY (Mon - Fri 8-5) for a first person visit. We would love to help you with your next design project.
