Choreographer and director Martha Clarke has lived in a Sherman, Connecticut farmhouse since 1982. She often works there, too, and uses the light-filled room pictured above as her workspace (it was once the painting studio of a previous owner, Arshile Gorky). The New York Times gives us a tour and Clarke's favorite things about the house: “white lilacs, wide-board floors, and a kitchen window with a view.”
We're fond of the sophisticated, yet relaxed furnishings and the natural light! Did you notice the Thonet bench in the studio?
Read the story, Incubator of ‘Earthly Delights’ and see all the pictures in the slideshow.
Images: Wendy Carlson for The New York Times
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Comments (23)
That bench in the first picture is Fantastic!! Where can I get one??
I love the first image but the dogs sitting on the kitchen counters make me a little ill. My aunt lets her cat run around her kitchen and there is always loose fur floating into the food:( Needless to say we don't eat there anymore.
beautiful! One of the nicest houses I have seen on here lately. Its very dreamy & cozy. I am all about the dogs sitting on the counters, genuine dog people live & breath dog hair and yes sometimes we eat it.
Yay! I grew up in Sherman and love that the area is finally getting attention.
I like the house, but I don't care for the rooms with the vaulted ceilings. It's a personal peeve I guess, but I really hate when people remove the floors of old farmhouses to make 'cathedral ceilings.' It's cool in a barn, but not in a farmhouse.
Hello? Maybe you missed that this was the painter Arshile Gorky's house... Check out the full slideshow at nyt.
The vaulted ceilings and glass aren't recent to the structure. Trajically, he hung himself from those exact rafters. It's actually nice to see that someone is making a beautiful life there.
whoops.. sorry, tragically -spelled wrong..
I've always loved the painting "Garden of Earthly Delights" and saw the dance performance at the Duke Dance Festival. It had flying that was exactly like my dream of flying. It was fantastic. Don't miss it if you get the chance,. I love this house too, except fluffly pooches on the kitchen counter is too extreme for me. (and pets of all types pretty much rule at our house.)
Yeah, pet fur will fill the air and float everywhere, but we don't put our feet and butts where we put food, and pets shouldn't either.
If you don't like the dogs on the kitchen counter, how do you feel about the Giraffe in the dining room?
i want the giraffe.
Light and bright yet warm and cozy. Love it.
i just love that big open window in the dining area. except for the bugs, im really not a city girl...
"The vaulted ceilings and glass aren't recent to the structure."
How recent the change was made is irrelevant. It is still not fitting with a farmhouse. And I too love the big windows. I'm not a purist--I just hate the cathedral ceilings in old houses.
I love the giraffe as long he keeps his feet and heinie off the food surfaces.
beautiful. so peaceful.
I love this house but dogs on the work top is not on.
When I read this was Gorky's Connecticut home my heart sank a little, as I remember reading about the work he had originally done, as well as his sad story. I believe he took his life in the arbor or green house. Whatever, happy to see life there. The doggies are adorable!
love the open dining area, though the table & chairs don't do justice to the space. i'd fill it with a long, narrow, rustic dinner table. that space begs for a 6-8 person dinner party and is much more visually inviting than the dining area in the top pic. i'd also choose very ergonomic/comfy chairs (most of which can be stored elsewhere between large dinners) so the table can double as a "project" table or laptop workspace.
I'm afraid that the dogs will fall off the counter, not that they'll make it unsanitary. I never set my food directly on the counter, so I don't see how dog germs could get transferred to my food.
I think the giraffe is dead. I also the first thought I had when I saw dogs on the counters was - what the heck are dogs doing there??? I am a dog person - I guess not genuine, but I will not have animals running on the tables. same as I do not put my feet or tush there. It's not just the germs - I am far from being a germophobe. There just should be some rules, I don't know - maybe it's some kind of cultural taboo or something... Food (and "food space") should be separated.
I think the photographer put the cutie poms on the counter just to take their picture. Thats it! Sheesh.
I love, love, love the blue of the kitchen chairs and the enormous windows in the dining room. But like the others, the furry dogs on the counter absolutely kill any appetite I'd have to share a meal in that house.