The Pair Behind OFFHOURS & Soft Services Bring City Sensibilities to Their Rural, Upstate Home

David McGillivray and Rebecca Zhou share what’s inside their midcentury modern farmhouse—and store.
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When creative director David McGillivray launched the loungewear brand OFFHOURS in 2018 with his wife Rebecca Zhou (who is also co-founder of the skincare brand Soft Services), the couple had already been making personal moves. Just a year prior, they had bought a "very modest mid-century modern house built in 1961" in Livingston Manor, NY, intending to split their time between Brooklyn and the Catskills. "We are on a corner plot that backs up to the woods, so we get the best of both worlds. We get nature, but we also have the community and neighbors as well," says McGillivray. Seven years later, after seeing the area change and wanting to spend more time upstate, they decided to make the move permanent.

The Pair Behind OFFHOURS & Soft Services Bring City Sensibilities to Their Rural, Upstate Home - Photo 1 of 1 -

Besides sanding and refinishing the oak flooring, and updating the kitchen and the bathrooms, not much else of the house was renovated. McGillivray says that the original builders had owned a tile company so there’s lots of unique tiling "scattered throughout the house" and they had wanted to preserve as much of the original tile as possible. In contrast to all the tiling is "a lot of wood tones that wouldn’t naturally be my style, but it just feels calming in the house," McGillivray says of the interior. When it came to decorating and furnishing, the couple wanted to select items that were "very understated, clean, minimal, and satisfying that we can appreciate," he says. "The holy grail in my eyes is objects that you can enjoy, not something necessarily ornamental you put on the shelf." Some of the couple’s favorite home items include kitchen staples like artisanal vinegar and mismatched drinking glasses, a plywood wall clock, and a set of the Offhours robe-comforter hybrids called the Homecoats.

In a full circle moment, McGillivray went through a similar decor (and merchandising) journey with his latest venture: an art and design concept store called Corners. Located on the downtown strip of Livingston Manor, Corners sells ready-to-hang framed artwork, art and coffee table books, stationery, and select sculptural objects. Even though McGillivray already runs Offhours and is a freelance creative director, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to open a brick-and-mortar, especially because he had always been so enamored with the building itself, which happens to be a mid-century modern-era structure, just like his house.

"I had my eye on this space for years because nothing else on Main Street looks anything like it," he says of the aluminum-framed facade. Plus, he liked the idea of having a low-key store upstate where he’d have more "flexibility in terms of when I open and it’s not as intense as running a shop in the city." With the space eventually secured after presenting his case to the landlord, he then brainstormed, "What store would I walk into and want to buy everything?" He boiled it down to beautifully designed paper goods because "there’s still a romance to printed matter and a sense of charm and longevity."

Below, some of the couple’s unique picks for home.

Tart Vinegar

Tart Golden Vinegar
Mostly ginger vinegar with some citrus vinegar and wild foraged nettle vinegar to create a complex flavor profile with notes of spicy, warm, bitter, and pungent citrus. Fermented for over a year. Refrigerate after opening . 

"These are the only vinegars I use now—I’m addicted to them. I throw a splash into almost everything: dressings, soups, sauces, cocktails... even a splash into my can of sparkling water. Chris Crawford, the founder, makes them in small batches at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The Celery is the original (and currently sold out), but I love all the versions Chris experiments with—ginger, mulberry, sour cherry, kelp, just to name a few." —Rebecca

Soft Services Buffing Bar Starter Set

Soft Services Buffing Bar Starter Set
The new essentials for every bathroom: our cult-favorite Buffing Bar microcrystal body exfoliant and custom Soap Home for safekeeping. The drying dish and splash cover set was engineered to allow for maximum air flow, minimal water contact, and a more plastic-free routine.

"The Buffing Bar is one of our bestsellers at Soft Services—one customer perfectly described it as ‘a magic eraser for your body.’ We designed the Soap Home, a ceramic tray and aluminum splash cover set, to extend the life of Buffing Bars and other solid soaps from the eroding elements in a shower." —Rebecca

Offhours Homecoat

Offhours Homecoat
A soft and subtle sage, with a light beige trim, and a faded orange pop at the belt.

"Our Homecoats are unlike anything else; made from five pounds of quilted French terry and sanded cotton jersey. We like to say it’s the closest you can get to wearing your comforter. Honestly, it feels like you never left your bed." —David & Rebecca

Ichendorf Milano Deco Glasses

Ichendorf Milano Decò Glasses
The Decò collection, created by the designers Forti and Di Loreto and produced by Ichendorf, stands out for the decorations on the outer surface of the glasses. The Decò Arlecchino set of 6 water glasses is characterized by decorations of various colors, different for each glass.

"We love these glasses; David just bought me a set of these over the holidays. They are perfect for when we have guests over—everyone knows which glass is theirs. I usually choose the one with the red circles as mine." —Rebecca

Loewe Tomato Leaves Candle

Loewe Small Tomato Leaves Candle
Scented candle perfumed with tomato leaves essence. The ‘Tomato Leaves’ candle has a high-intensity fragrance with a green scent that evokes the fresh, verdant aroma of the vines just before they burst into fruit. It reveals delicate notes of cassis berries once lit. 

"I know tomato scent is having a bit of a moment but it’s hard to deny this candle smells heavenly. If you’re going to indulge in something tomato-scented, this is the one." —Rebecca

Lemnos Plywood Clock

Lemnos Plywood Clock
A core Lemnos item, Lemnos Plywood clocks are individually produced in Japan by skilled craftsmen. This clock’s charm is its simplicity, while it’s high quality plywood creates a sophisticated design; it is well suited for a range of settings. Designed by Morito Yoshi.

"Rebecca and I have this clock in our bedroom. The balance of its plywood frame and sharp, precise face design work in perfect harmony. Its design is quite understated but incredibly satisfying." —David

Crying Clover Candle

Crying Clover Candle
Recycled wax, local beeswax and waxed cotton wick.   Approximate size: 4 ½ × 1 ½ inches (11.4 × 3.8 cm).  

"The style and story of these candles are so refreshing. They’re handmade from reclaimed candle wax (with a little beeswax added), and each one is made to order in your chosen colorway." —David

Things To Do Today by Majolein Delhaas

Things To Do Today by Majolein Delhaas
Office must-have. Left page for structuring your day and notes. Right page for ticking off all your achievements. Give priority to tasks by ranking the stars.

"Another favorite from Corners that I just imported from the Netherlands. A sleek, oversized to-do list and planner with a stunning design." —David

The Creative Act by Rick Rubin

“The Creative Act: A Way of Being” by Rick Rubin
From the legendary music producer, a master at helping people connect with the wellsprings of their creativity, comes a beautifully crafted book many years in the making that offers that same deep wisdom to all of us.

"This is one of the best-selling books I carry at Corners; it’s such a wonderful easy read. Equal parts poetic and pragmatic guidance." —David

Blip Spoon Rest by Alessi

Alessi Objets-Bijoux Blip Spoon Rest
Sinuous shapes for an elegant, functional object: Blip is the spoon rest designed to cradle spoons and ladles of different lengths and sizes. The name alludes onomatopoeically to the wave from a drop in water.

"This is one of the products I added to Corners as part of my Alessi Winter curation. It’s viral and versatile, in fact, Rebecca even bought one for her friend as a jewelry dish for the holidays." —David

Valerie Objects Pepper Mill

Valerie Objects Pepper Mill
The pepper grinder, designed by Muller Van Severen, is a great example of the Belgian design studio's ideology: even if an object is in everyday use, by no means does it have to look boring! The grinding mechanism of the pepper mill is made of carbon steel, and the size of the grounds can be...

"These geometric mills are incredibly sculptural, and the neon punch and chrome ball provide such textural contrast, that this piece could easily be used for purely decorative purposes." —David

KGT Storage Box

KGT Storage Box
Designed for a friendlier, domestic purpose by studio CP-RV, the aluminium-made KGT is made through stamping, cutting and bending, each process revealing a feature of the product. Small subtle notches at the bottom corners allow for easier lifting and grabbing.

"These chic little aluminum storage boxes are the perfect way to conceal home office clutter or living room knick-knacks." —David

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Jinnie Lee
Dwell Contributor
Jinnie Lee is a freelance culture writer based in New York City.

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