It Was Once a Pigeon House—Now It's a Dreamy Pool House Retreat

With Italicus Spritzes on the menu, red cabana-striped chairs and chaises for lounging, and Italian bossa playing in the background, you might think you’ve stepped into a tucked-away bar on the Amalfi Coast, not a backyard pool house in Upstate New York. That’s precisely the happy, escapist vibe homeowners Todd and Jill Cress, owners of spirits brand Hetta, had in mind when they shared their idea for the little outbuilding with architect Ilsa Falis of The Art of Building.

Sign directing to a bar, surrounded by greenery.

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A cast-iron pigeon found by the Cresses’ adult daughter, Beatrix, at the Brooklyn-based shop Only NY perches atop the hand-painted bar sign.

Originally a dovecote (a small structure for housing pigeons), the simple 19th-century building was in such poor condition that it needed a near-complete rebuild. Still, Ilsa and the Cresses wanted to preserve its basic form and character—wood siding, a sloped shed roof, little cutouts at the gable peak, and a crowning cupola—while salvaging as many materials as possible.

Given its history and their love of the Italian spritz bar lifestyle, the couple named the pool cabana Bar Piccione (piccione is Italian for “pigeon”) and feathered their new nest with a mix of vintage furnishings. The result invites guests to while away an afternoon the way Europeans do best. Says Jill, “You spritz, you chat, you have good conversations, and you make memories.” Cin cin to that.

Exterior of a small white pool house with a patio.

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The Setting:

A small meadow behind a historic 18th-century farmhouse in Staatsburg, New York

The Structure:

A 400-square-foot former dovecote turned pool cabana designed for entertaining (now painted Frostine by Benjamin Moore)

Midcentury Mainstays

A pool house interior featuring vintage decor and seating.

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In addition to picking up this and that from their favorite local auction house, Public Sale, Todd collaborated with antiques dealer Rebekah Milne in nearby Kingston to fill the whitewashed interior with a mix of furnishings—1960s Italian posters, worn kilim rugs, and midcentury seating, including a vinyl settee and split bamboo chairs—that feel casually accumulated over time.

Open-Door Policy

Rustic bar area with an open view to an outdoor area.

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A glass-front hanging cabinet—the first antique Todd and Jill bought together while traveling in Europe—keeps glasses handy above the simple sink table crafted by a carpenter from The Art of Building. The striped sink skirt offers another nod to the regional theme. “We wanted it to feel like an old Italian nonna’s kitchen,” says Todd. New bifold windows invite the outdoors in and provide a fun pass-through from the bar to guests out on the patio.

Not-Quite Outdoor Shower

an open shower area in a pool house with a large plant next to it

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Ilsa repurposed the breezeway under the sloped roof into an open-air shower, installing a gently pitched poured concrete floor and custom copper piping. “It’s this lovely experience where you can just throw open the doors on either side and feel like you’re outside, but still a little bit protected,” says Ilsa. “I love it.”

Whimsical Watering Hole

pool with red and white lounge chairs next to and a pastoral background with a field and trees

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By the pool, a grouping of vintage Woodard wrought-iron chaise lounges—refreshed with a red powder-coated finish—pairs well with punchy cabana-striped cushions and a cheery Campari umbrella. The furnishings add a splash of Italian glamour to the pool’s lush green surroundings, while a pair of French stone cardinals provides a touch of whimsy. “It’s all about storytelling and creating a sense of place,” says Ilsa.

Get the Look:

Striped Cushions on Lounges: Sunbrella