William Abranowicz and Zander Abranowicz

The majestic panoramas, lush vegetation, and bucolic vibe of the Catskill Mountains and Hudson River Valley in upstate New York have long proved irresistible for city dwellers seeking respite from urban life and inveterate country lovers alike. Their homes, whether hundreds of years old or brand new, all resonate with their natural surroundings, as each of the 20 houses that photographer William Abranowicz captured for this volume attests. They range from the historic houses of Thomas Cole and Frederic Church, quintessential landscape painters of the Hudson River School, to the rustic wood-and-stone house of a dealer of mid-century furniture, art, and jewelry, in which the clean lines of Frank Lloyd Wright side tables and other mid-century furnishings are exuberantly contrasted by vibrant textiles and contemporary ceramics. Perusing the pages of Country Life is the equivalent of taking a vacation and being warmly invited into the homes of artists, architects, writers, museum curators, dancers, photographers, antiques dealers, set designers, a social worker, a yogi, and even a hall of fame BBQ chef.