Project: Sterling Forest House / Location: New York / Architect: Alexander Gorlin Architects  / Photography: Peter Aaron

The Sterling Forest House sits quietly in the wooded hills of a historic lakeside neighborhood in New York’s Hudson Valley. What could have posed a challenge—steep slopes and a dense canopy—became an opportunity for the clients and Alexander Gorlin Architects to craft a modern home that feels like it’s always belonged. “Sixty percent of the site was left untouched to allow the clients to enjoy the landscape’s wild character,” the architect notes, easing neighborhood concerns about disrupting the area’s historic charm.

Anchored into the rocky hillside, the L-shaped plan steps down the terrain as if carved from the stone itself—its base formed from locally quarried granite. The home reveals itself gradually, as a winding driveway weaves through the preserved canopy and arrives at a striking entrance where solid masonry contrasts the red teakwood of the front door. Like a borrowed piece of hillside returned to its original home, the house is topped by two green roofs that minimize the visual and environmental impact. This, along with the use of natural materials, grounds the home in its surroundings.

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Inside, openness and a constant dialogue with the outdoors shape the experience. Expansive floor-to-ceiling windows dissolve the boundary between indoors and out, immersing each space in forest views and natural light. Nearly every room opens onto its own balcony, deepening the connection to the landscape. One wing holds the private lower level—two bedrooms that seem to float between the trees, each with a terrace and en-suite bathroom flanking a shared sitting room. In the bathroom, a sculptural freestanding tub surrounded by deep blue tile with gold veining and muted tile floor sits before woodland views with a warm wood ceiling beyond that makes you feel as if you’re bathing in the forest. 

The other wing is all about gathering—living, dining, and kitchen spaces are defined by interior partitions without being closed off. A skylight above the kitchen adds to the sense of light and openness. On the same level, two offices open onto a shared deck, and a guest house is tucked beyond the garage with its own private entrance.

In the living room, a dark granite wall hosts the fireplace and anchors the space–tying the interior back to the natural stone outside and drawing the eye subtly to the rolling hills and lake beyond. Teak-framed windows and glass doors open to an outdoor dining area sheltered by a cantilevered frosted glass canopy. The interior color palette leans into muted teals, soft grays, pops of color, and warm wood tones. Soft blues carry through the outdoor dining, tying the interior and exterior design together effortlessly.

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The home’s contemporary form recalls the 1880s Tudor-style homes that dot the surrounding neighborhood with its granite façade that rises up proudly from the rock like a modern castle. It’s the kind of balance Alexander Gorlin Architects is known for. The New York–based firm brings a modern and approachable aesthetic to a wide range of projects—from private homes to cultural and institutional spaces. “We believe in rigorous analysis, synthesis, and creativity at every level. Our designs are clean, modern, sophisticated, and fun. Clients can expect thorough research, intensive design development, and responsive solutions to their needs.”

The seamless back-and-forth between inside and out makes the Sterling Forest House feel like part of the landscape—every view framing the trees, lake and hillside, every level stepping with the slope and the green roofs returning nature to its rightful place. It’s architecture that is woven into the land’s existing story.

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Cat Ford is an architectural designer with seven years of experience. She now uses her design expertise as a freelance writer.