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From Home Furnishing Business

Piaule & Design Within Reach Partnership Highlights Purposeful Design

November 18, 2025  by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

Piaule and DWR are unveiling a series of spaces throughout the property: The Oak House, a three-bedroom bookable residence on its own private 20-acre parcel; reimagined cabin suites; and a fresh perspective on the boutique hotel’s memorable Main House. Nolan McHugh and Trevor Briggs, the creatives behind Piaule, collaborated with DWR to curate the refreshed spaces which will feature a selection of luxurious design icons, new classics and Piaule original furnishings.

“We’ve always been drawn to DWR’s mission and the heritage behind its storied brands,” says Nolan McHugh, co-founder of Piaule. “The concept of creating products and spaces that are meticulously crafted, beautiful, made to last and stand the test of time, is also at the core of Piaule’s intention.”

Guided by the modernist principle of truth to materials, DWR’s unparalleled range of original and exclusive designs from around the world will adorn the property, from makers and brands including DWR Studio, Herman Miller, Fritz Hansen, Louis Poulsen, Vaarnii, Carl Hansen, Risom, Cassina and Muuto, to name a few.

“Piaule’s vision for modern design and its transformative impact is truly inspiring,” says Debbie Propst, President of Global Retail at MillerKnoll. “DWR has long championed education and inspiration, and this partnership with Piaule beautifully reflects those values. The hotel’s new spaces invite guests to stay with our pieces and engage with the DWR lifestyle on an immersive, deeper level.”

Each piece is selected according to its unique ability to be effective in its purpose. Glass to diffuse light; polished stainless steel for shimmering, hard-wearing fixtures; cashmere for warmth; wool for soft, durable floor coverings; leather for supple upholstery; and solid hardwood for strong, long-lasting furniture. The result is serene interior and outdoor spaces where everything has a place.

With mature forest serving as the backdrop for the many pieces of wood furniture, it encourages contemplation of the preciousness of each item. In the context of their source material, the pieces take on a deeper beauty.

“In recent years, DWR’s assortment has grown dramatically, encompassing a broader range of modern aesthetics and diversified categories,” adds Propst. “With one of the most comprehensive offerings of contract-grade furniture in the industry, we were uniquely positioned to support Piaule’s vision. We’re excited to bring that same level of partnership and creative support to other brands looking to create meaningful, thoughtfully designed spaces that reflect their unique identity.”

The Oak House, a Piaule & DWR Collaboration
Set apart on a private 20-acre parcel uphill from the Main House and cabins, the Oak House is nestled into a mature forest overlooking the Catskill Mountains. This new bookable Piaule home—furnished and outfitted in partnership with DWR—features three bedrooms (one king, two queen), two bathrooms, and a layout that invites groups to experience the sacredness of the Hudson Valley together.

The Oak House offers an effortless connection between indoors and out; every room has a door to the outside, enabling access to the spacious patio areas and enabling guests to see, feel, hear and smell the landscape the entire time they are at the house, from any room. From willow branches swaying in the wind to a sun-filtered canopy of oak leaves, a deer munching on dinner or a fox cutting through the meadow, each room features a different view and allows for a different experience of the remarkable landscape. 

“As with the hotel, our intention is to give guests an opportunity to form a relationship with nature, and so we aim to connect the architectural/design experience to the landscape,” says McHugh. “For us, that means stripping away unnecessary flourishes and letting nature be the focus, opening up and modifying apertures to frame views and using a palette of all natural materials that reflect the house's surroundings.” 

The furniture selections are in Piaule’s characteristically restrained palette, creating a serene and calm interior that allows the landscape to shine. Vaarnii lighting, made from delicate, translucent strips of pine wood, lends the house a warm glow. The selected furniture pieces—predominantly in oak—create a sensuous atmosphere that complements the views of the forest and mountains outside. 

Visitors who book the Oak House will be able to unwind on the deck’s outdoor furniture from Vaarnii, spin vinyl on a Wrensilva record console, enjoy Tiami mattresses outfitted with organic cotton Piaule linens, and recline on seating by Herman Miller and Fritz Hansen while the fire crackles in the wood-burning fireplace. Guests will also have the ability to book exclusive in-home experiences such as yoga on the deck, a private dinner prepared in the home’s open kitchen, spa treatments or a private floral workshop complete with a Fritz Hansen Ikebana vase to take home when they leave, filled with souvenirs—and memories—from the landscape. 

Double Cabins, a Piaule & DWR Collaboration
Bringing the same modernist approach to the hotel’s signature Double Cabins, Trevor Briggs, co-founder of Piaule, says, “Taking inspiration from our surroundings, there is an entire palette of natural and long-lasting materials that ensure a luxurious experience for guests but does not distract from the landscape outside.”

With two bedrooms and two ensuite bathrooms joined by a living room, the Double Cabins are ideal for groups of up to four people. The interiors of the cabins instantly make guests feel at ease; the furnishings are present only to enhance, not distract.

Main House:
The hotel’s iconic Main House has been updated with sofas from John Pawson’s Drift Collection for Herman Miller, which are expertly crafted from solid white oak and feature rich leather upholstery, along with Oak Tabouret Stools from Cassina, designed by Charlotte Perriand and originally inspired by the three-legged milking stools used by shepherds in the Alps.

“We have always admired the restraint and refinement of John Pawson's work and it is one of our biggest design inspirations, so using his pieces in the space was a no-brainer — especially because they are made in solid white oak, the primary wood we use in our designs, and the hotel itself is nestled into a mature oak forest,” says McHugh. “When we are so closely linked to both the source material and the finished product, a deeper gratitude for those earthly gifts arises. We have used antique milking stools throughout the hotel since opening, so introducing Perriand’s Tabouret stools alongside them also emphasizes that relationship between reference and result.”

Again, the selection of the pieces throughout the property takes cues from the building’s surroundings, the white oak forest. The context lends the pieces a greater importance: the source of their beauty and strength is just outside.

For information about rates and to book stays, please visit Piaule.com. For more information about the partnership and to explore the designs featured throughout the collaboration, please visit dwr.com.