September 4, 2026
By Christopher Stella
Photographs by Rana Faure
The view from the Skiff Mountain farm master bedroom is cinematic: an expanse of blue sky and billowy clouds above a distant treeline. South-facing windows capture the view with a master framer’s intention. “This is as close to being in nature as you can get while inside,” says Jamie Delaney, the steward of the farm. “It gives you space to breathe.”
Delaney’s journey to Skiff Mountain Farm was decades in the making, guided by a 50-year friendship. It began in Georgia, where, fresh out of the Art Institute of Atlanta, Delaney met Tom Sebring, a fashion buyer, and his partner Steve Vaughn. The trio eventually landed in New York City, where their friendship flourished and Delaney built a career as a fashion designer. In time, she met her husband Michael, and with him co-founded Ralsey Group, a private label apparel business. They raised three children between homes in Stamford and Manhattan, and made regular visits to Sebring and Vaughn at their weekend home—Skiff Mountain Farm.
Whenever I left, thought ‘this is someplace special,’” recalls Delaney. When her husband, Michael, passed away in 2014, Delaney spent more time in NYC. Then COVID arrived, and with it, a craving for open space. She reached out to Vaughn and Sebring, who were ready to put the home on the market. “I think I found you a buyer,” Delaney texted them. “Me.”
The property is centuries old—the main house constructed in 1795, two barns of the same vintage, a 1960s guest house, and a garage apartment, set on 13 acres with a pool, tennis courts, and an orchard of more than 40 fruit trees. Delaney initiated her renovation at the height of the pandemic, conducting much of it over Zoom—a challenge for someone accustomed to trusting her hands and eyes. She entrusted architect James Dixon and contractors H&Y Construction, Inc. with the job. The main living area (an addition built in the 1990s) was opened into a spacious kitchen; the master bedroom segmented into sleeping, study, and sitting areas; bathrooms throughout were reimagined. A covered porch and pergola were added, wrapping the corner of the house in dappled light, and new windows were installed throughout—all in service of bringing the outside view in. “Our dilemma was how to make the exterior cohesive without resorting to historical pastiche,” notes Dixon. “We opted to use traditional materials—clapboard siding, double-hung windows— updated to accommodate modern living.”
Yet the home’s historical character was carefully maintained. Original ceiling beams and wooden doors from the 18th century were preserved and highlighted. The guest house evokes a quiet northern California brightness, enhanced by the sound of falling water from a nearby courtyard fountain. The barn, a soaring structure of aged wood, serves as a workshop for Delaney’s partner, Michael Cullen, whose hand-carved pieces punctuate the home with texture and warmth. The home’s many rooms hold objects of sentiment—Cullen’s art and furniture, family heirlooms, objects from travel, and a champagne bottle saved from one of Sebring and Vaughn’s anniversaries. “Every object has a story,” Delaney notes. “Recognizing heritage gives you a sense of connection.”
Skiff Mountain Farm, in turn, has become a place to connect with people and nature. Delaney’s daughter was married in the orchard; Vaughn and Sebring recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary there. “They told me they felt like the proud grandparents of this house,” Delaney muses. “With the workshop for Michael, the guest house, pool and tennis courts, it’s the perfect family camp and place to create a life.” Skiff Mountain Farm is evidence that history and memory aren’t things to look back on—they’re things you build on.
