Inspiring Tack Room Photos from Roseview Farms

Roseview Farms’ approach to the equestrian lifestyle is pleasing and practical.

Stable Style was founded in December of 2015. I began sharing the first barn tours and blog posts in the spring of 2016. Roseview Farms was one of the earlier barn tours shared here and is still a muse for the Stable Style lifestyle.

Read the original blog post here >

Roseview in Millbrook, New York is proudly owned by David and Judy Sloan. The farm is a dressage facility and home to a growing number of polo ponies. The barn is situated in what was once a gravel quarry. It’s surrounded by a dramatic landscape and formal gardens – this creates a one of a kind, horse friendly environment. Read on for a glimpse inside the tack rooms at Roseview and to learn how David repurposes old pieces to create a stunning equestrian aesthetic.

This is a custom made saddle rack. It incorporates period hardware into the design to add dimension to the woodwork.

There is a distinct style to Roseview Farms that David thoughtfully curates. The tack rooms are filled with many freestanding one of a kind pieces explains David.

“I design them around an element of architectural salvage to meet our needs around the operation(s). I work with several individuals who help bring the concepts to life. The end result being the ‘cases’ help make our property unlike any other, but are still warm, visibly interesting and practical for daily use in a large horse operation.”

Many of the cases are illuminated.

This large bit case was was originally an exterior movie poster display case (c.1930) that was found in a barn in New York’s Hudson Valley. A lot of hard work went into restoring and reconfigured this case, which was encapsulated in layers of paint explained David.

“We went back to the original wood, lined the case with ‘pool table’ felt, reinstalled the original downlight as backdrops to our collection of bits. The larger cases in the room, the bit case included, have the names of famous horse shows, in large gold lettering, laid out on the header of each piece – a theme we use to unify the room as a whole.”

These three tack cases were rescued from a, since demolished, apothecary. They reside in the same room as the bit case and were treated similar from a design prospective to create a similar look. Lighting was installed in all three cases, along with the same green “pool table” felt. Nickel plating was added to the original cabinet hardware, along with nickel plated tack hooks and commemorative name plates. The inscriptions on each plate (added by Roseview Farms) are inspired by the engravings they found on the trophies and memorabilia of 100 years of Millbrook Hunt history.

When it comes to hooks in the tack room, David likes the look of nickel plated hardware throughout the space. He has the process down for nickel plating pieces – if it’s necessary, the clear lacquer is removed from the brass or iron with paint stripper, followed by a long bath in lacquer thinner. When the pieces are free from rust, paint and lacquer, they are sent to a shop for the nickel plating process. Even when fixtures are available in a chrome finish, nickel’s softer finish only gets warmer over time.

Previously a department store display case, this piece now holds beloved ribbons and trophies. Before it made its way to Roseview, it was being used in an antique store and had a white wash finish. A jell stain finish with French polish gave it cohesion to match the rest of the tack room.

These ribbon cases are new, but they were designed around institutional sliding cabinet doors made of oak. The ribbons are secured on thin aluminum rods or airline cable within the cases.