{"id":9441,"date":"2026-10-27T17:54:46","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T17:54:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=9441"},"modified":"2026-10-27T17:54:46","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T17:54:46","slug":"olivia-muenters-hudson-valley-home-feels-right-out-of-a-nora-ephron-movie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=9441","title":{"rendered":"Olivia Muenter’s Hudson Valley Home Feels Right Out of a Nora Ephron Movie"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\"Olivia<\/p>\n

This past spring, we shared novelist Olivia Muenter\u2019s<\/a> week of outfits<\/a>. Dozens of readers immediately requested a tour of her 1863 farmhouse in the Hudson Valley, which she shares with her husband, Jake. Of course, we were happy to make it happen! Let\u2019s take a look inside\u2026<\/p>\n

ENTRY<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

Paint: Alabaster<\/a> by Sherwin-Williams. Pendant: West Elm<\/a>. Blue bench: The Antique Warehouse<\/a>. Rug: vintage.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

On feeling the wind:<\/strong> Whenever we can, we use the screen doors. In the summer, the most incredible breeze comes off the river and up the hill.<\/p>\n

LIBRARY<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/a><\/p>\n

Paint: Yeabridge Green<\/a> by Farrow & Ball. Bookshelves and ladder: custom. Jute rug: Rush House<\/a>. Chair: vintage.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

On literary additions:<\/strong> Adding bookshelves was one of the first things I imagined when we first toured the house. I later learned that there used to be bookshelves in the very same place, but another owner had removed them. They bring me so much joy.<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

Table and chair: vintage. Standing lamp: Wayfair<\/a>. Landscape painting: Carol Meese<\/a>. Floral candlestick holders: Angelina Bella on Etsy<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

On that green paint:<\/strong> This room is a great example of trusting your gut. I picked the green paint<\/a> before we even moved in, but sometimes doubted that my vision would come together. On sunny days, it is the brightest, most intense green. People have strong reactions to it, but I love it. The other day, some contractors were working here, and I overheard one say to the other, \u2018You know, I think I\u2019m actually starting to like the green.\u2019 [laughs]<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

Painting: Igor Televnoi on Etsy<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

On personal touches<\/strong>: When we moved in, almost all the downstairs rooms had wallpaper, plus layers of paint beneath the wallpaper. After weeks and weeks of scraping to get down to the plaster, my husband Jake and I often found writing. We kept this part exposed because it includes names and dates going back to 1920. One of best things about doing work ourselves is seeing the other people who have been here, and then adding our own names.<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

Chaise and chair: vintage.<\/em><\/p>\n

On a third roomie<\/strong>: That\u2019s our mutt, Winnie. We adopted her back in 2017. She\u2019s a mix of everything, and she sheds absolutely everywhere \u2014 but she\u2019s perfect.<\/p>\n

LIVING ROOM<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/a><\/p>\n

Pendant: Hay<\/a>. Jute rug: Rush House<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

On evening rituals:<\/strong> I love sitting on the striped sofas with Jake, lighting candles and watching TV. Our favorites shows are Severance<\/a><\/em>, Pluribus<\/a><\/em>, and Shrinking<\/a><\/em>. We\u2019re also into watching My Lottery Dream Home<\/a><\/em>. It\u2019s strangely relaxing! <\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/a><\/p>\n

Coffee table and sofas: vintage. Striped pillows: Anthropologie<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

On British touches<\/strong>: I\u2019m inspired by the layered, almost-cluttered look of English country homes with stripes, florals, and jute rugs all in the same room. Also, legend has it that this gold standing mirror arrived up here from New York City in 1900, on the back of a flatbed truck. The previous owners left it behind.<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

Paint: Jitney<\/a> by Farrow & Ball. Hutch: \u201chand-me-down.\u201d Floral painting: artist unknown. Red candle: Loewe<\/a>, \u201ca gift from a friend.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

On thoughtful touches<\/strong>: When loved ones come over, I like them to see how much they mean to us. It\u2019s like, Here\u2019s how important you are! We put you in a frame!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/a><\/p>\n

On a meet-cute:<\/strong> Jake and I met at a journalism club in college. I remember thinking, Wow, that is the cutest guy in the world<\/em>, and I still think that. When we started dating, I realized we\u2019re really different. I\u2019m a creative dreamer type, and Jake is more analytical and focused. To see us now years later redoing this old house, which requires both of those traits, is really cool.<\/p>\n

KITCHEN<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/a><\/p>\n

Table and chairs: vintage. Wicker lamp: Target<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

On weeknight meals<\/strong>: We\u2019re currently renovating the kitchen. Normally, I do the cooking, and Jake does the dishes. I make pretty simple meals \u2014 taco bowls, pasta \u2014 but every single night, when we sit down for dinner, Jake takes one bite and goes, \u2018This is amazing.\u2019 [laughs]<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

On perfect imperfections:<\/strong> One special thing about living in such an old house is the charm that you can\u2019t manufacture. I love the wavy glass and knowing that 150 years ago, people were looking through the same exact windows. Nothing is level or plumb, but I love the wood floors and the weird little hallways.<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/a><\/p>\n

On four-legged neighbors:<\/strong> Living upstate, we definitely hear rumors of black bears often passing through nearby neighborhoods and towns. But I don\u2019t think about them 99% of the time. I\u2019ve only seen one once, from afar!<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

STAIRS<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

PRIMARY BEDROOM<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

Paint: Moody Blue<\/a> by Sherwin-Williams. Dog painting: thrifted. Woven basket with lid: \u201cNYC street fair 10 years ago,\u201d similar<\/a>. Dresser, vanity and stool: thrifted. Bed: Lulu & Georgia<\/a>. Duvet set: Boll & Branch<\/a>. Quilt at foot of bed: \u201cmade by my mother-in-law, TreasuresByTwila on Etsy<\/a>!\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

On previous owners<\/strong>: Larry, the owner of the house before us, lived here for 20 years and passed away before we bought the house. Sometimes I\u2019ll talk to him. People told us he loved big parties, so I\u2019ll say, \u2018Larry, the parties are going to be great, we\u2019ve just gotta finish renovating the kitchen first!\u2019<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

Frame: Framebridge<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

On heartfelt notes<\/strong>: I spent years talking unkindly to myself and wasting time. Now I write notes to myself when I\u2019m anxious. These notes redirect me toward what is important, and away from what isn\u2019t. I actually forgot to finish this one above and left it out somewhere. Then Jake found it and wrote the last line. I think it\u2019s a beautiful reflection of our life together.<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/a><\/p>\n

Lamp: Target<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

On favorite reads<\/strong>: Almost Life<\/a><\/em> by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, John of John<\/em><\/a> by Douglas Stuart, and Good People<\/a><\/em> by Patmeena Sabit are all five-star reads that came out this year.<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

GUEST BEDROOM<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

Paint: French Gray<\/a> by Farrow & Ball. Bed, sheets, and curtains: \u201cold Target.\u201d Chairs and upholstered stools: vintage. Rug: \u201chand-me-down from my parents.\u201d Velvet pillows: Article<\/a>. Portrait: \u201chand-me-down from my grandparents.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

On family heirlooms<\/strong>: This rug was my parents\u2019 and I\u2019ve always admired it. Eventually my mom gave it to us, and now whenever she visits she says, \u2018I should not have let you take that!\u2019<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

On hosting goals<\/strong>: I like to make our home feel like a hotel for overnight guests, and stock a basket with Advil, Pepto-Bismol, a lint roller, a hair dryer, a phone charger, and size-inclusive robes. I never want someone to think, I wish I had Pepto, but I don\u2019t want to ask<\/em>.<\/p>\n

ATTIC<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

On big realizations<\/strong>: What I love most about the house is that it feels like an endless creative project. We haven\u2019t touched the attic, but it could be a great movie room one day. It doesn\u2019t have to be tomorrow, but it\u2019s fun to imagine.<\/p>\n

OLIVIA\u2019S OFFICE COTTAGE<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

On a room of one\u2019s own<\/strong>: When we toured the house, this detached structure was a chicken coop and garden shed. But I already had this dream of having an old shed to write in. It took us a year and a half to renovate.<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

Artwork: vintage. Desk: \u201cbuilt by Jake.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

On movies inspiration:<\/strong> I\u2019ve always loved the classic coziness of the home in The Family Stone<\/a><\/em>, Meg Ryan\u2019s apartment in You\u2019ve Got Mail<\/a><\/em>, and Mandy Moore\u2019s colorful loft in Because I Said So<\/a><\/em>. I also love the slightly cluttered but lived-in feeling of the sets in Gilmore Girls<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

On inside jokes<\/strong>: When Jake was renovating this space, he found a ton of bricks under and around the foundation. One of them had tiny kitten paw prints pressed into it. I joked that \u2018Kittenbrick\u2019 sounded like the name of a quaint village, and it kind of stuck. The office is now Kittenbrick Cottage.<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

Novels: by Olivia<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

On sweet gifts<\/strong>: My parents had this ceramic sign made for my birthday. It\u2019s painted with the exact type of flowers that grow right outside.<\/p>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

On small-town living<\/strong>: I run into someone I know pretty much everywhere I go. It can be stressful on days when I don\u2019t want to be social, but I\u2019ve grown to appreciate that there\u2019s something lovely about seeing people in the middle of their daily lives, rather than only at the high points (parties, dinners, etc). Also, living in a house this old, you realize you\u2019re the latest in a long line of people who\u2019ve called this place home. It\u2019s an honor to carry the house forward and make it shine.<\/p>\n

Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful home with us, Olivia<\/a> and Jake!<\/strong><\/p>\n

P.S. More house tours<\/a>, including a Connecticut family home brimming with plants<\/a> and our most colorful house tour yet<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(Photos by Lyndsay Hannah Photography<\/a> for Cup of Jo. Kitten brick photo courtesy of Olivia.)<\/p>\n

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16<\/span> COMMENTS<\/p>\n

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