When Sara Berks, founder of Minna, first visited an 1810 farmhouse in Germantown, New York, she knew it was special. “It was the first house I looked at,” she recalls, though she forced herself to tour others to confirm her gut feeling. After a decade in Brooklyn, Berks was ready for a change—more space for her growing textile business and a quieter pace of life. The farmhouse, complete with two barns on the property, offered the opportunity for both.
Moving into a home that’s over 200 years old comes with its challenges. “None of our floorboards are straight; things are sinking in some areas,” Berks says, laughing. But what it lacks in perfection, it makes up for in charm. Since buying the home in 2016, Berks has worked to make it her own, balancing practicality with an eye for design. “I did a lot of the initial renovations myself, from painting every single room to building out a small laundry and pantry in the kitchen,” she shares.
The kitchen received one of the biggest transformations. It was originally outfitted with a kitschy black and white tiled counter; Berks replaced it with a minimalist concrete countertop and added white cabinetry for storage. The blue pantry door is a cheerful pop of color against the sunny ochre cabinets. “Color is so important to me,” she says. “I wanted bold moments without overpowering the space.”
The kitchen’s open shelving, a new addition to the space, showcases Berks’s ever-growing collection of ceramics. “I’ve collected vessels from all over the world,” she says. “They’re a form I’m really drawn to because they appear in so many different cultures.”
Throughout the home, Berks has layered collected items with heirlooms and modern design elements to create a deeply personal space. The blue chair in the living room once belonged to her grandmother, while the mid-century cabinet, which conceals a TV, is part of a furniture set from her dad’s childhood bedroom.
Berks shares the home with her spouse, Mary, and their pets—a dog named Soba and a cat, Bear. Mary’s background as a research scientist specializing in mycology has inspired whimsical touches, like mushroom artwork and natural ephemera scattered throughout. “Mary comes from a family of collectors,” Berks says. “We even have a rock with a handwritten note from their grandfather about where he found it.”
There is a story behind everything, including some of the DIYs. Take the living room fireplace: “It used to have this giant dark walnut piece with an attached mirror,” Berks says. “We removed it and replaced it with a wood slab we salvaged from one of the barns on the property.”
Over the years, Berks has leaned into the house’s quirks, using them as opportunities for creative expression. The niches on either side of the staircase, which feature Minna wallpaper, are a prime example. “I always envisioned wallpapering that area, even before Minna launched its own line,” she says. “Now it feels complete.”
The upstairs guest room doubles as an office, complete with built-in shelving and a desk. Meanwhile, Berks often finds herself working at a table on the three-season porch, where the light is best for painting. There, she’s surrounded by a lamp sourced from Mexico and an antique flag that reads “Germantown Friends”—a gift from a pal.
The couple’s bedroom features a mix of vintage furniture and Minna textiles. Berks had the curtains handmade using fabric from her own collection. “We’ve tried to balance function and beauty in every room,” Berks says.
Updating the farmhouse has been a labor of love, and Berks has no regrets about taking on the challenge of an older home. “I underestimated how much work it would take, but now it really feels like us,” she says. The next project on the horizon? Renovating the barns to create a guest suite and workshop. “There’s always something to do,” Berks says with a smile.
