At his Hudson Valley home, visitors occasionally ask Gil Schafer, «When did you finish the renovation?» The architect takes this question as a high compliment, he told ELLE Decor during his 2001 home tour. In fact, he built the home from scratch—and that’s the magic of Middlefield: a 21st-century home with a soul that feels centuries old.
Built in 1999 but designed to feel historic, this Greek revival (nicknamed Middlefield) combines Schafer’s reverence for historical architecture and embrace of modern comforts. Now, after 26 years, the ELLE Decor A-Lister is handing over the keys to his most personal project—a home he not only designed and built from the ground up, but also lived in and loved. This week, we checked back in with Schafer to hear about this major decision.
The impetus for selling? “What happened is I got married,” Schafer tells ELLE Decor—he’s married to interior designer Courtnay Daniels. “We thought it would be fun to do something together because the house was totally my creation. Something new that was ‘us’ as opposed to ‘me’.”
Before Middlefield materialized, Schafer spent 18 months picnicking across the property—exploring rocky ledges, stands of apple trees, and dirty tracks through hay fields—searching for the perfect spot. The knoll he eventually chose sits among trees with the natural topography undulating all around it, aptly named for its siting “in the midst of an old farm field.”
The 3,750-square-foot-home, set on 45 rolling acres, features a commanding double-height portico anchored by Doric columns, a symmetrical façade, and handcrafted details in honor of the region’s rich architectural heritage.
Inside, the home balances grandeur with intimacy. A center hall leads to scaled double parlor living and dining spaces, each filled with soft, natural light and thoughtfully framed views of the surrounding garden and woodlands. “There’s great light in the house, which I’ve always appreciated,” Schafer says. Reclaimed antique wide-plank floors, custom-made door hardware and millwork, and antique mantels create a sense of timelessness throughout.
Upstairs, three tranquil bedrooms, three marble-clad baths, and a media room all offer sweeping views of the rolling hills. The landscape, designed in collaboration with Deborah Nevins, features garden rooms defined by hornbeam and yew hedges, stone walls, and terrace lawns.
But it’s the screen porch that holds Schafer’s heart. «It’s the room I think I love the most because it gets the most light,” he says, «and it’s a space I always gravitate towards as soon as it’s warm enough to be out there.»
Certainly, there’s a bittersweet quality to parting with such a personal creation. But if the new owners want to remodel, Schafer is all for it. “They’re going to put their own stamp on it, which is maybe bittersweet,” he tells us, “but also exciting to think about somebody new coming in and making it their own.”
This wouldn’t be the first time one of his works gets reinterpreted. A home he designed for clients with fellow ELLE Decor A-Lister Miles Redd (who collaborated with Schafer on parts of this home) sold a few years ago. “Some new people bought it and they had a completely different idea about the interior,” Schafer says. “It’s so interesting to see how somebody could take the same architectural bones, but then reinterpret it to make sense for their own taste and their own way of living.”
For the buyer who will call Middlefield home next, Schafer hopes that the space will invite them to slow down and appreciate the beauty. “Enjoy the way that the light changes with the seasons,” he says. “Enjoy the wildlife. Enjoy the quiet.”
Julia Cancilla is the engagement editor (and resident witch) at ELLE Decor, where she manages the brand’s social media presence and covers trends, lifestyle, and culture in the design world. Julia built her background at Inked magazine, where she grew their social media audiences by two million, conducted interviews with A-list celebrities, and penned feature articles focusing on pop culture, art and lifestyle. Over her five years of digital media experience, Julia has written about numerous topics, from fashion to astrology.
