The Tiger House
Estudio Esmero honours The Tiger House’s storied past while strengthening its connection to the outdoors and its Hudson Valley setting.
Before discovering the site that would become The Tiger House, the clients had spent years searching for a Hudson Valley property that would allow them to comfortably divide their time between the region and the city. The chosen site met all their requirements: about eight hectares of land, long views across the hilly landscape and a quiet stream. It also included an unfinished carriage house with a one-bedroom attic apartment, as well as a curious history. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the previous owners had kept a tiger as a pet, housing it on the open ground floor, which was supported by steel beams.
While the clients required significant changes to create their three-bedroom, three-bathroom home with elegant finishes, they also wanted to honour the building’s unique narrative. The project, fittingly, became known as The Tiger House.
Elevated details include the clients’ art collection, locally sourced antiques and tiger-themed objects, offering a playful nod to the building’s history.
To enhance the liveability of the home, Estudio Esmero introduced new openings in place of the original barn and hay doors, along with glazing orientated towards the most scenic views. Each window features flush inset frames to minimise the boundary between home and nature, with the two largest windows positioned at either end of the building so that a natural sense of lightness carries through from one side to the other. Internally, two-thirds of the attic was removed to create a grand living room with seven-metre cathedral ceilings. Here and throughout the home, new radiant floor heating beneath the concrete floor improves thermal efficiency. Before the concrete was poured, it was understood that it would crack over the existing floor; a kintsugi treatment, with the cracks hand-filled in gold, was chosen to celebrate these natural imperfections.
Bespoke elements give The Tiger House its distinctive character within Hudson Valley. Having learnt traditional dry-stack stone techniques, one of the clients personally built the property’s retaining walls and stone terraces, a process that took nearly two years. He also worked with Estudio Esmero to design the layout of the outdoor spaces, including a rock garden adjacent to the kitchen. Inside, the interiors are defined by a restrained material palette and high-quality millwork. The kitchen, crafted in collaboration with Henrybuilt, uses warm timber panelling to conceal storage, mechanical systems and a staircase to the guest suite. Elsewhere, elevated details include the clients’ art collection, locally sourced antiques and tiger-themed objects, offering a playful nod to the building’s history.
