Jeremy Buotte, Owner

 

The story of Hudson Heirloom is a personal one. Having grown up along the shores of the Hudson River, I’ve always been captivated by both the natural beauty and rich history of the Hudson River Valley region. My love of the vernacular architecture, in particular—crafted with natural materials and using traditional building practices—has helped to form my imagination in how I think about the built world. 

 

Although my father is a carpenter and the craft has always been part of my life, it was never in my mind that I’d become a carpenter myself. Instead, I went on to pursue my studies, receiving a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut and a master’s from Yale University. My academic interests centered around philosophical and theological ethics, with a focus on concepts of human flourishing, and it was during this time that I started to think more seriously about how we as humans relate to the natural world and the things we create.​

 

After graduate school, I sought a career in academia, but I soon felt a need to bridge the gap between my intellectual interests and my desire to make things. My passion for and love of natural building led me to timber framing, an ancient form of construction that is intricately tied to the history of the Hudson Valley. Examples are abundant, from the barns and carriage houses that can be found on old farms to those set amongst the original village homes. These homes, too,  stand as timber frame structures, hidden behind plaster and wood facades. Made to last, with materials sourced from the surrounding area, they express a certain beauty and dignity. It’s from my aspiration to participate in the rebirth of this sustainable and responsible way of building that Hudson Heirloom was born.​

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A member of the Timber Framers Guild, I was trained in timber framing at the Heartwood School.