Wild Life

Interior designer Sheena and her husband Paul created the perfect winter getaway in upstate New York by letting nature do the talking…

- Luke Tebbutt

How many stars are there in the sky? From Sheena and Paul Murphy’s house in the Catskills, New York, it seems like an infinite number. Their weekend getaway home is just two and a half hours from their Brooklyn apartment, but it feels like a world away. Every view is wider, every sound is crisper and every star is shinier. ‘We can see them from our bed at night,’ says Sheena. ‘We’ve also seen deer, raccoons, foxes and a bear’s paw print in the snow.’

The couple decided to find a vacant plot of land and build when Sheena became pregnant with their daughter Matilda, now three. For them, it was a chance to disconnect from the city grind and realign themselves with family, friends and nature, in a location sandwiched between state parks.

‘Matilda is our alarm clock, so we wake up early, maybe go for a hike, spend the day in comfy clothes, and then enjoy the evening sitting by the fire with friends or wine, or both,’ says Sheena. ‘The closest shop is 20 minutes by car, so it forces you to buy what you need and not really leave.’