Arts & Craft Home

A beautiful 19th-century lodge sits perched on the top of a mountain enjoying panoramic views. In its day it was a gathering place for artists and writers like Mark Twain and Carroll Beckwith, who came to escape the manhattan summer and enjoy the Upper Catskills countryside. In the 1930s, however, the house began a long decline. By the late 1990s, the very structure was compromised – even the chimney threatened to collapse.

From foundation to roof, the building was repaired and systems were updated. Iliana worked for two years with an architect, a structural engineer, the local stonemason, and many others to complete the project. Happily, the elusive artistic spirit of the house was revived as well.