A modern interior with high ceilings and large windows, allowing natural light to illuminate the space. Exposed beams add to the industrial feel. People are scattered throughout, observing the surroundings.

My Wanderings Provide Custom Home Inspiration

Yes, I’ve been on the move again! I just returned from visiting New York for the second time this year. With a third grandchild about to move there, it seems like my time in New York is expanding. Not much beats traveling to see family, though I can’t help but keep my wonderful ZDB custom clients in mind while I’m away. My eyes are always open, looking for all things big, all things obscure, and all things interesting to spark my imagination. Our luxury custom homes fully reflect the needs and desires of our clients, and although at this moment their core spaces are primarily open floor plan casual living areas, the details and feelings are all unique. Most have some element inspired by my travels. This particular visit to New York included an Amtrak-enhanced two days in the magnificent Hudson River Valley, where the profusion of leaf changes was astonishing. The colors alone are inspirational, as you can see.
A row of trees with vibrant red leaves lines a street under a clear blue sky. Cars are parked along the road, and the ground is scattered with fallen leaves, creating a picturesque autumn scene.

Visiting the annual Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival, a unique event centered around fiber arts, I made the acquaintance of a friendly llama. I hope this photo gives you the same chuckle it gives me. That’s my granddaughter Parker with me.

Two women smiling widely while taking a selfie inside a barn. A llama stands behind them, with hay on its muzzle. The women appear delighted and surprised. The setting is rustic, with wooden beams and a fence visible.

Storefronts in Rhineback and in Beacon hearken to older, more languid times, again providing warm color and architectural details that will surely land in one of the next Zinn custom homes.  

A red brick building with green window frames is seen across a street. Cars are parked in front, and a few pedestrians walk by. Leafless trees are nearby, and the sky is clear and blue, indicating a sunny day.

One fabulous Rhinebeck restaurant, incongruously named Pretty to Think So, featured not only a delicious dinner, but whimsical custom wallpaper (below) reminding me of how wallpaper in its myriad forms can make a huge impact on our custom homes.

Intricate black and white illustration depicting mythological figures with sun faces, celestial motifs, and a landscape background, blending elements of nature and fantasy.

Below, in this primary bedroom of a custom Zinn Design Build home, we provided a charming wallpaper suiting our clients’ taste and setting the stage for a warm cozy space.

While in the Hudson River Valley, we visited the famed Dia Beacon Museum, whose edifice is a former Nabisco cookie box-printing factory. Though the building is industrial, I find the use of repeating patterns of high glass and the drama of roof trusses in a high vaulted space to be noteworthy. 

A modern interior with high ceilings and large windows, allowing natural light to illuminate the space. Exposed beams add to the industrial feel. People are scattered throughout, observing the surroundings.

It reminds me of a truss ceiling detail that I did in 2002 for the Model Home at our Larkspur neighborhood:

Spacious living room with vaulted ceiling and exposed beams, featuring a kitchen counter with barstools on the left, a dining table near large windows, a cozy sitting area with a sofa and armchairs, and a fireplace with built-in shelves on the right.

At the exterior of Dia Beacon, I made note of a simple but wonderfully clever pattern of concrete pavers, perfect for a future ZDB project.

Close-up of a textured surface featuring interlocking hexagonal and diamond-shaped patterns with gray and dark gray tones, highlighting cracks and shadows in concrete material.

Next up: a visit to the San Francisco Bay Area.  Stay tuned!

Carol Ann Zinn

Zinn Design Build

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