June Farms’ Farmhouse interior is thoughtfully composed and layered, and owner Matt Baumgartner sourced all of the décor himself.
Many people dream about walking away from their day jobs to live on a farm, but Matt Baumgartner actually did it. The self-described serial entrepreneur used to work at GE until a big poker win at age 22 inspired him to quit his job and open a burrito restaurant. That business morphed into a collection of 15 restaurants in the Northeast, and in 2014, he decided to buy 120 acres outside of Albany, in West Sand Lake.
“I had planned to farm beef and pork to supply my restaurants,” explains Baumgartner. “I did it for a year and then just couldn’t face killing the animals.”
After Covid-19, Baumgartner shed his restaurants to concentrate on the farm full-time, which he named June Farms. He turned the farm into a haven for heritage breeds, including Highland cows and Shire horses. A successful pop-up event, where everyone fell in love with the animals, inspired Baumgartner to transform the farm into a place to stay, and one that would also benefit the community. He had to start from scratch, as the land didn’t have any infrastructure, and began by converting a stone house attached to the barn into a rental in 2017.
The heart of the newest property at June Farms, the Farmhouse, is the kitchen with botanical murals and natural wood finishes, offering a rustic yet refined look.
Since then, June Farms has expanded to include Airstreams, two stand-alone homes, a Hobbit House, and a series of cabins crafted from Quonset huts, pre-fabricated structures traditionally used for agricultural purposes. The newest property is the Farmhouse, located a few minutes away from the main property, which opened in 2025. The black-clad building features three bedrooms, a plunge pool, and a spacious kitchen where murals are the star of the show.
The Hobbit House is quietly tucked into the landscape, with its grass-covered roof and stone façade creating a storybook retreat.
Baumgartner tackled all of the design himself. “I didn’t study design, but I enjoy it,” he says. “I know what I like, and I think I know what people like.” Baumgartner says he drew inspiration from some of his favorite hotels, including the Greenwich Hotel and SoHo House in New York.
The result is a highly personalized take on the modern farmhouse. The properties are reminiscent of joyously eccentric English country houses, full of patterned wallpaper, decadent soaking tubs, and fun ephemera. The Hobbit House is a wooden cave-like room built into the side of the hill, while the Wellness Huts showcase black walls and black soaking tubs in the sleeping area, along with compact kitchens.
In the Lodge at June Farms, this elevated bedroom is reached by ladder and framed by stone and warm wood, creating a cozy, cocoon-like space.
The Lodge at June Farms delivers the property’s most rustic aesthetic, with exposed wood beams and a dramatic stone fireplace.
Baumgartner oversaw every detail, down to electrical and bath hardware, and sourced decor from the Brimfield Antique Flea Market as well as Facebook Marketplace and Wayfair. Rooms are colorful and playful, with portraits of pigs and sheep, as well as details like vintage washboards and a carved rabbit newel cap. As a lover of minimalist design, there are no curtains on any of the windows.
“I wanted the design to be elevated but it’s on a farm, so it can’t be too modern or pretentious,” says Baumgartner.
The Wellness Huts, crafted from pre-fabricated Quonset huts, flip the script, balancing dark, moody interiors with natural elements.
Baumgartner describes the property as a “gentleman’s farm,” as it’s home to a wide range of animals, including Nigerian Dwarf goats and White Dorper sheep. The chicken coop provides guests with a basket of farm-fresh eggs, and the property offers a wide range of activities for both guests and visitors, from goat yoga and cow brushing to fried chicken nights. The property also hosts weddings, which was the focus of the June Farms reality TV show on Amazon.
“June Farms is really a destination experience,” says Baumgartner. “They can pet the cows, feed the chickens, and come back and stay in a different place each time.”
Photography by Lawrence Braun.
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