7 min read
As anyone who’s ever lived in New York City for at least a couple of years knows: For all of its qualms, it’s still a hard city to leave. Few know this better than Taryn Delanie Smith, who was, quite literally, as New York as it gets. The now-29-year-old former Upper West Side resident was crowned Miss New York back in 2022, and in the years that have passed, she took advantage of the perks. Upon earning the coveted title, Smith was granted a tour of New York State, which, unbeknownst to her at the time, set her plans of buying a home outside the city into motion. “I fell in love with the Hudson Valley, and the unique communities and historic buildings that came together to create this bucolic, warm New York mosaic of life,” she explains.
When Smith and her husband bought their 235-year-old, five-bedroom (plus office) home in Orange County less than a year ago, though, it was not a decision they made lightly or impulsively. In fact, they knew the home would be an ongoing project that would be both costly and time-consuming, but neither prospect kept them from making the investment. Smith, who grew up on PBS’ Escape to the Chateau, knew that one day she’d snap up a centuries-old home and fix it up; she was just waiting until she happened upon the right house. Last summer, she found it, and she, her husband, and their 175-pound Great Dane, Bruce, moved in. Since then, they’ve adopted four chickens, who live in the new coop in the backyard.
“I can't stress this enough: This home is so far from done,” Smith insists. “It’s a 235-year-old work-in-progress that will likely continue to be so for as long as I live here.” That’s the thing with old houses: Keeping the original quirks and charm intact while modernizing it is no easy task—not even for the experts, and Smith will be the first to admit she’s hardly an expert. “I am not an interior designer or an architect,” she says. “I am not even really a complete adult most days. I am a girl who loves a house and is doing her best.”
Luckily, that’s been working in her favor as she turns to her friends, family, and fans who follow along on her YouTube series, The Unlikely Countrywoman. Having amassed more quite a few followers over the years (more than 20,000 on YouTube and over one million on Instgram), Smith considers herself lucky to enlist the advice of some of her followers who have taken on similar projects. “The sheer amount of house there is for me to design, paint, and problem-solve is completely overwhelming at times. Many unfinished rooms are waiting for their turn,” she adds.
One of the most pressing spaces in the home that demanded immediate decoration was what Smith calls the Big Living Room, which is just on the right of the central hall on the ground level. It’s one of the first spaces to greet both the homeowners and their guests upon entering the residence. Back when the home was built, in the late 18th century, this space was likely the parlor and used for entertaining.
Luckily, the Big Living Room still serves the same function. “It’s certainly grand. I have had multiple psychics reach out and tell me they sense and see [in my YouTube videos] a friendly ghost sitting beside the fireplace, just enjoying the room,” Smith says. “I’m not surprised, as it is original to the home and does feel like a lot of life has happened here.”
As for the furnishings and aesthetic, Smith went for a mix of old and new. The seating is all new, while some of the art‚ such as the 17th-century Harry Pennell landscape above the fireplace, is old. The chandelier, grandfather clock, and chest of drawers in the background are also antiques, and look very at home in their new space.
What’s more, Smith enlisted a friend and professional to help outfit some of the larger spaces that, unlike tiny New York City apartments, can prove a bit more challenging to decorate. Galey Alix, the designer behind Smith’s Upper West Side home, helped find the seating pieces and divulged her thoughts on where to put some of the antiques to keep the original wood-burning fireplace the focal point. “I have found ways to incorporate the pieces Alix chose into my historic farmhouse design, and her ideas live on in my new home,” Smith says.
Another room in which Alix’s original furniture choices made the trip up the Hudson River is Smith and her husband’s bedroom. The nightstands, bed frame, lamps, and pillow configuration were Alix’s finds. The rest was all Smith, and her inspiration came not from the nature preserve just outside, but from much further away—specifically, the English countryside. “I was really inspired by homes in the Cotswolds I’ve seen online and in magazines,” she admits. “I love how effortless and cozy they feel without being pretentious.” Of course, the fact that the town has prohibited any construction across the street from her bedroom window doesn’t hurt either. “I love waking up here, I have a view of a sprawling valley and trees,” Smith says.
The other bedroom, designed for guests who want to indulge in a quiet escape away from New York City, takes on a different tone. “I wanted to step away from these really light, happy rooms and try my hand at a moody, more studious vibe,” Smith explains. “I designed this room myself during a rainy, gray week, and I truly think this room feels like it’s meant for a rainy day.” The first step to achieving that look and feel was a coat of Valspar’s Royal Garnet paint on the walls; next came the antique secretary desk, which Smith bought off the original owner (he had enjoyed it as a child) for a mere $100.
Any old house—especially ones along the Hudson River—is rife with charming historic details that simply cannot be replicated today. The artisans responsible for them are no longer living, and their artistic endeavors sadly died with them, which is why Smith wanted to enshrine all of the charming architectural elements to the best of her ability.
She left all of the slightly slanted floors and doors that no longer fit their thresholds, as they are subtle hints to the house’s history. Anything she couldn’t preserve as-is, such as the radiators, which are original to the home, she repaired. The cabinet doors boasting illustrations of women in old garb are hand-painted Dutch doors from the late 19th century. “I meant to have them fixed up and repainted, but then impulsively installed them with my husband, and now there they hang,” she adds.
The books, though not exactly page-turners, are part of an ever-growing collection of antique tomes that set the tone of the Big Living Room. Mixed in are pottery pieces, antique tea cups, and a painting from a flea market in Paris that was just 50 euros. “I think of this bookshelf like a little movie set, mixing in props and other amusing things to give it depth until it’s one day filled with books,” Smith adds.
One of the most charming nooks, though, is just across the hall, in the foyer, where a large peel-and-stick wallpaper panel paints a dramatic yet serene scene. “I absolutely love wallpapered bucolic scenes in country homes,” Smith notes. “Of course I wanted to commission a hand-painted piece, but that wasn’t in the budget, baby.”
One easy-to-miss detail that actually was hand-painted, however, is just on the other side of the wall: The original front door, which features hand-painted pineapples, courtesy of the last owner. “They loved pineapples, and they were painted everywhere. It was very cute,” Smith adds.
Another space that older homes tend to feature more than their newer counterparts? Formal dining rooms, and this one really embraces the original intent of such spaces. “I love to entertain, and I wanted this dining room to be moody and intimate for dinner, and peaceful for breakfast,” Smith says. While she intended to color-drench, she opted for two slightly different shades of green “to give it some depth. The backs of the cabinets use the same wallpaper that’s in my foyer,” she adds.
That said, even though the room is technically done, Smith doesn’t feel like it’s finished. “I have so much doubt about this room. For instance, did I go too far with the color drench? I’m never sure,” she laments. “I’d like to eventually strip and stain the built-ins a dark wood like the table, but this works for now.”
As for the furniture, the table seats 10, but Smith has squeezed in a few more and made it work. The chandelier, which may seem a bit small for the table, is here to stay—no matter what anyone says. “It’s an antique from the 1930s and sister to the one in my living room,” Smith insists. “I’ve gotten some criticism from folks saying it’s too small, but I feel strongly it’s just right for a farmhouse that’s been hosting dinner parties for over 200 years!”
While Smith has put a lot of thought, energy, time, and money into making this old house feel like home, she’s hardly precious with it. In fact, one of her primary considerations in decorating is her gentle giant, Bruce, who, over the last year or so, has made himself quite at home, claiming a corner of the family room sofa as his own. “When we first viewed the home, there were portraits of Great Danes everywhere. I later learned that the previous two families who lived here always kept Great Danes,” Smith notes. “Serendipitous as hell, and we plan to continue the tradition. We lovingly call the house ‘Dane Manor.’”
One of the selling points of this particular home is the land on which it sits. With several acres to spare, Smith was afforded an opportunity she never dreamed of when she lived in New York City: to curate an outdoor space. Not only does she have a screened-in porch, but she also has a brand-new chicken coop for her four pet chickens: Princess Diana, Gigi, Chickolas Cage, and Eggward. “They’re pets, and they’re loved,” she clarifies. That said, Smith admits that she and her husband have more eggs than they know what to do with—just another perk of country living she’s come to appreciate.
