5 min readAny fan of renowned chef, television personality, and entrepreneur Bobby Flay knows that he is a horse racing enthusiast. So it should come as no surprise that, when the restaurateur purchased a new seasonal home, it was just steps outside the famed Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Just like the iconic track, the Tudor-style home is something of a historic gem itself, with bones that date back to 1939. “The design was aimed at bringing the vibrancy and energy of the track indoors while creating an inviting and comfortable space for hosting guests,” says New York City-based Olivia Capuano, founder and principal at Olivia Jane Design, who Flay brought on to refresh the property.
“My client purchased the home to use as a seasonal outpost to host and cook for family and friends,” Capuano explains, noting that Flay wanted a home that felt like a comfortable retreat from everyday life. The home was purchased in early 2021, and Capuano was tasked with having it ready to go for the Saratoga track season, which begins in July. "This gave us less than six months to complete all updates and deliveries, which, amidst the pandemic, wasn’t always a smooth process," she admits. The team dealt with several supply chain headaches, both in regard to materials and furniture, as well as equipment. "Working closely with the client, we rebounded by selecting several vintage pieces from 1stDibs and stores in the nearby Hudson Valley, which is renowned for its antiques," Capuano adds.
The previous owners, who enjoyed the four-bedroom property as their primary residence, left it in good enough shape that Capuano didn't have to embark on a full gut renovation. They had already renovated the back half of the main level, turning a small kitchen and set of bedrooms into a cook space worthy of a famous chef, complete with vaulted ceilings and a trio of picture windows framing an uninterrupted view of the track. “This allowed me to truly focus on personalizing the home and layering finishes, lighting, and furniture to create a unique feel in each space,” Capuano adds.
She did, however, make a few minor adjustments—especially to the exterior, where she expanded the patio footprint and added an outdoor kitchen. "A large chunk of the budget was spent on updating the back patio," Capuano explains. "The outdoor kitchen was quite the undertaking, as it was a custom concrete slab, pour-in-place installation with the intent to feel like one monolithic unit. Matt Young and his team at Young Landscaping executed the task flawlessly, creating a sleek yet lived-in vibe that ties into the existing exterior."
The look of the foyer and main stairwell also morphed a bit, thanks to a limewash on the walls that brought beautiful texture. After all, a lived-in space that felt both sophisticated and welcoming was the goal. "I asked Olivia to create a warm home with the Deco era in mind, as the house was originally built in 1939," adds Flay. "I think she did an amazing job—I love spending time in this home."
Fast Facts
Designer: Olivia Jane Design
Location: Upstate New York
The Space: A four-bedroom Tudor-style home built in 1938
FAMILY ROOM
An expansive marble coffee table anchors the space.
An avid fan of mixing vintage and contemporary pieces, Capuano placed a marble slab coffee table from RH between two pieces of famed midcentury furniture. “The walls and ceiling are a bright, crisp white, but the room retains a sense of warmth through the layering of textures in both the furnishings and window treatments,” she notes.
LIVING ROOM
White-washed brick walls add texture.
You'd never guess from looking at it, but the living room was once used for carriage parking. “Now, it’s a glamorous, sunken lounge space, offering direct views to the track,” Capuano says. “The deep, rich inky leather of the Viggo Boesen-style sofa is rivaled by a sinuously curving red velvet loveseat. The room is topped off by a halo of warm light diffused through the linen shades of a Maison Lunel fixture.”
KITCHEN
A crisp white palette is the perfect backdrop for culinary exploration.
“Bobby is great about describing how he wants a room to make you feel, and I interpret that into the physical,” Capuano says. “He wanted this room to feel bright and inviting to guests, with a refined, classic color palette that let the picturesque view truly shine.” She kept things simple by arranging three matching stools side by side along the spacious island.
“Being that [Flay] is a professional chef, the kitchen absolutely becomes the ‘heart of the home,’” she notes. “You’ll almost always find him behind the counter of the indoor or outdoor kitchen space, preparing something incredible. Knowing this, we wanted to provide several places for family and friends to perch and watch the culinary mastery in action.” Those include custom marble bistro tables surrounded by blue dining chairs from the 1960s, mimicking the look of a restaurant.
DINING ROOM
Banquette seating offers a casual yet refined vibe.
In the dining space, Capuano used the same vintage blue chairs, but this time, around a rectangular RH table. She also mixed in some moodier shades, courtesy of the Williams Sonoma banquette.
BOURBON BAR
The moody escape is the perfect spot to sip and pour.
“This is my personal favorite space in the home,” Capuano admits. “The deep, saturated color envelopes you and gives the sense you’ve been transported away from the otherwise bright, sunny home.” She placed a Maison Jansen-style end table between a pair of 1950s velvet armchairs and a deep leather sofa from RH.
The main source of light in the space is a 1970s Kaiser sputnik chandelier, sourced from 1stDibs. “We were inspired by the nostalgia and moodiness of a golden era cocktail lounge mixed with the rich history of horse racing,” the designer adds.
BEDROOM
An upholstered sleigh bed envelopes the room like a cocoon.
The bedroom is perhaps the lightest, airiest space in the home. “Natural light that's filtered through a canopy of trees and a collection of layered neutral textures creates a sense of serenity and escape," says Capuano.
About the Designer
Olivia Capuano is the owner of Olivia Jane Design, a full-service interior design firm dedicated to creating hospitality and residential spaces that are transportive and deeply moving. The firm’s bespoke approach to each project begins by working together with the client to define the feelings and emotions the space should evoke, then translating them into the physical by cultivating a careful balance of new and old, fresh and nostalgic.
