Jennifer and Richard Lanne - Ballston Spa, New York
Ashley Evans
Growing up in upstate New York, Richard Lanne, Jr. dreamed of living off the land. His childhood was full of adventures he recorded in many notebooks, documenting the fleeting knowledge of the land and being able to do for oneself that he learned from the many scoutmasters and old timers that passed through his world. He grew up in a story akin to the Foxfire books of old. He spent much of his youth learning how to forage, trap, hunt, build, and forge his future.
In 2002 Richard and his wife Jennifer, a painter, moved to Ballston Spa, New York to a historic farm property once owned by an exiled Scot named Agnus McDearmid. The home was in fair shape when the two moved, but they were looking for a fixer-upper and the 1779 farmhouse was just what they were looking for. For both Jennifer and Richard, the most important part of finding a home was that it be historic and original. “So many historic homes in the area were gutted somewhere between 1970-1990 and completely remodeled,” says Jennifer, “but this one had the original floors and low ceilings we wanted.”
Today, over two decades later the house and property feels almost like a timepiece to an earlier era. The house, Jennifer’s studio in the equally old barn, and a blacksmith’s forge used by Richard in a former smoke house, feel cozy and eclectic. The spaces have been filled with handmade pieces and early American antiques. Jennifer’s extensive collections fill each of the rooms and cause visitors to slow down and study each room at length.
Jennifer’s studio, a rambling space spread across two floors of the old barn feels like a mix of the very old, the old, and the new. A disco ball hangs perfectly at home next to salvaged early wood finds, and paintings created by Jennifer.
The home feels especially cozy during the winter months. Richard lights a fire in the oversized hearth in the front room and the fire can be heard crackling throughout the house. Richard and Jennifer have done much of the work on the property themselves over the past two decades. Jennifer, speaking of Richard’s skills “He can really make anything, and that came in handy when we bought this farm,” say Jen. “Anytime we needed a bracket for a door he was able to forge it, he really does know how to make just about anything. If he doesn’t he teaches himself.”
When asked why they love the old home Jennifer, with a laugh responds “we love the character of the place.”
The house stand as an authentic example of a classic American farmhouse, one that was built for practicality and function, one that has stood for centuries and will continue to live on for many more to come.
