A wonderful new hideaway where design and arts collide, The Farmhouse — from the Inns of Aurora Resort & Spa — marks the resort’s first accommodation to be located off the town’s main street. Situated adjacent to the spa at Inns of Aurora, the red brick Greek Revival home was originally built in 1835 as the centrepiece of Benjamin Gould’s 140 acre working farm and has been restored with care by Hart Howerton, who oversaw architecture, interiors, and landscape.
The original parlours, dining rooms, and studies remain intact, layered with soft blues, rich colours, bespoke wall coverings, and more than 30 works from American modernists including Wolf Kahn and William Bailey. It’s a house that feels lived-in, curated, and alive.
Guests step onto the restored columned porch before entering a front hall where a grand staircase is warmly lit. Subtle touches including an antique doorbell, stained-glass window, and handcrafted casework nod to the past, while velvet furnishings and textiles echo the calm of the surrounding landscape.
The dining room opens toward the gardens, a calming space that also feels lofty. Custom de Gournay wall coverings reference the outdoors; drawing the eye to delicate patterning and natural light. In the study, Wolf Kahn’s Xmas Tree Hill hangs above the fireplace, with soft violets and greens making this the perfect spot to enjoy quiet afternoons spent reading or simply gazing out the window.
A new wing adds six pared back cottages with simple gabled forms, painted brick, standing-seam metal, oak millwork, handmade ceramic tiles, and high ceilings. Light-filled galleries link the historic and contemporary, offering uninterrupted views toward Cayuga Lake. The cottages, positioned between the original village inns and the spa, feel like a natural extension of the property; modern, warm, and attentive.
The Farmhouse is a bridge across time. Every corner balances preservation and contemporary design, every suite and gallery invites disconnect. It’s a place that rewards exploration, where history and craft coexist effortlessly, and where each visit reveals something quietly unexpected.
The Farmhouse at the Inns of Aurora Resort & Spa Photography, Chris Mottalini.
