Aesthetic Movement founder and creative director Jesse James has spent the last decade carefully renovating his upstate New York country house, The Smithy, in verdant Schoharie County. Originally built as a blacksmith’s shop in the 1800s, the house is simple and bright, with painted wood floors and clean white walls, very much in keeping with Aesthetic Movement’s design credo: “Considered design and frequent brushes with beauty can enhance the overall quality of life.”
Above: The house is located on a quiet country lane.
Above: A pair of wing chairs are draped in simple canvas painter’s drop cloths.
Above: James sticks to a simple black and white palette throughout the interiors.
Above L: A period gas range anchors the kitchen. Above R: A collection of stoneware mixing bowls.
Above: The kitchen is flooded with natural light.
Above: A minimalist stairwell.
Above: An oak desk anchors a workspace.
Above R: A framed artwork from James’ collection.
Above: A simple spool bed, a painted floor.
Above: Circular mirrors add a modern note to an otherwise classic white bath.
N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on June 10, 2011.