Hollywood's most powerful couple – Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds – could have their pick of any Upper East Side brownstone or Los Angeles penthouse. However, the pair primarily reside in a charismatic home in leafy Pound Ridge in upstate New York, around a one-hour drive from the city.
Naturally, the $5 million mansion is something to behold – comprising seven bedrooms and six bathrooms across 11.65 acres of space. Qualifying as one of the world's best homes, the estate is as unique as the couple – who have played with a homey, rustic aesthetic that is in tune with its woodland surroundings and the current trend for 'quiet luxury'.
Offering a slower pace of life than its slightly southern neighbor, Manhattan – the rural town is a magnet for celebrities, including Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, and Mike Myers. The Westchester town is, according to the New York Times, a ‘little bit more country’ than its 'better-known neighbors' – a fact that has no doubt influenced Blake and Ryan's decorating choices.
Ryan occasionally shares glimpses inside their main living space – a rustic room that both celebrates and accentuates its rural surroundings with its wooden flooring and surrounding wall paneling that gives the space an almost cabin-like aesthetic.
In some posts, including the one above, we see that, despite the overriding wooden color scheme, the couple is not timid when it comes to color. They have painted their shelves an earthy blue shade and are also known to have experimented with vibrant turquoise in another area of the home.
Ryan also showcases their Aztec-print sofa and beautiful pendant light that brings just enough escapism to the distinctly upstate NY-style space. And we love the look so much, we found a similar light below.
Experimenting with a wood-on-wood aesthetic is not for the faint of heart, even if the setting is perfect, as in Blake and Ryan's case. However, as experts explain, this look is emerging as a key design trend for this year – and it's a raw yet simply stylish look that will stand the test of time.
'Gone are the days where we would only paint wood cabinetry white and cover up the beautiful veining and artistry of natural millwork,' says Natalia Miyar of Natalia Miyar Atelier.
Natalia Miyar is an architect, designer, and founder of Natalia Miyar Atelier. She is internationally renowned, with a base in both Miami and London. Natalia approaches design with an understanding of balance and proportion, which she learned while becoming a disciplined architect. Her spaces are both grounding and vivid – resulting from her honed creative instinct. and love for all things beautiful.
'I like to embrace organic materials and unveiling spaces clad in wood. Kitchens will have wood cabinetry and wood flooring, and some living spaces will be adorned with wood paneling. This aesthetic is a chic celebration of nature and the places where these high-end woods were sourced.'
Of course, the level of wood you use should depend on how much you like the material, but there's no denying that, in rural homes particularly, this style will endure and evolve with the landscape.
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