Inside MSNBC Host Rachel Maddow’s Remote Farmhouse Hideaway—and the Unique ‘Bathhouse’ Oasis She’s Built on Its Grounds

by Kelsi Karruli

MSNBC

MSNBC host Rachel Maddow delivered a fierce on-air blow to her own network over the axing of her former colleague and fellow on-air talent, Joy Reid, describing the decision to sack “The ReidOut” star as a “bad mistake.”

Maddow, 51, from Castro Valley, CA, took furious aim at the cable network after it made a major shake-up to its programming, which saw several major faces being pulled off the air.

NBC also dropped shows anchored by Alex Wagner and Katie Phang; however, they will continue to work with the network in a different capacity. The changes will offer viewers a new lineup of segments, which will take effect in April; but Reid, 56, left the network with immediate effect.

On Feb. 24, Maddow praised her departing colleague before addressing the “changes that have been announced at MSNBC over the last couple of days” and assuring viewers that she would “not defend” the network amid the shakeup.

Discussing Reid’s departure, Maddow said, “I do not want to lose her as a colleague here at MSNBC, and personally, I think it is a bad mistake to let her walk out the door. It is not my call, and I understand that. But that’s what I think.

Rachel Maddow
Rachel Maddow is back in the headlines after unleashing a furious rant against her own network over the firing of her former colleague and fellow on-air talent, Joy Reid.

(MSNBC)

Reid’s show was axed this week in what Maddow described as a “bad mistake.”

(MSNBC)

“I will tell you. It is also unnerving to see that on a network where we’ve got two—count them—two nonwhite hosts in primetime, both of our nonwhite hosts in primetime are losing their shows, as is Katie Phang on the weekend.

“And that feels worse than bad, no matter who replaces them. That feels indefensible. And I do not defend it.”

Maddow went on to confess that the adjustments to the staff have gone beyond those on air.

She added, “Dozens of producers and staffers, including some who are among the most experienced and most talented and most specialist producers in the building are facing being laid off. They’re being invited to reapply for new jobs.

“It’s not the right way to treat people. And it’s inefficient and it’s unnecessary, and it kind of drops the bottom out of whether or not people feel like this is a good place to work.”

Maddow then revealed that she will go back to hosting only on Monday nights after President Donald Trump‘s first 100 days in office is complete. Meanwhile, Wagner will no longer be hosting the 9 p.m. slot on Tuesday-Friday and will be replaced by former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who had been hosting on Monday nights and Sunday afternoons.

Though Maddow seems shaken up by the on-air shake-up, there is one small silver lining to her own new schedule: the possibility of spending much more time outside of New York, at her longtime retreat in Massachusetts.

Inside MSNBC Host Rachel Maddow's Remote Farmhouse Hideaway—and the Unique 'Bathhouse' Oasis She's Built on Its Grounds
Maddow purchased an ultraprivate cabin tucked away in the woods of Cummington, MA, with her longtime partner, Susan Mikula, 66, with whom she has been romantically linked since 1999.

(X/Rachel Maddow)

Maddow purchased an ultraprivate cabin tucked away in the woods of Cummington, MA, with her longtime partner, artist Susan Mikula, 66, with whom she has been romantically linked since 1999.

The pair splashed out over $605,000 in 2013 for the six-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom property that sprawls across 3,966 square feet, according to property records.

The two-story farmhouse, which was built in the 1800s, sits on a large plot of land and features multiple cozy fireplaces and wood flooring.

Their living room even comes complete with wood-paneled walls.

The property is surrounded by lush landscaping, making it the perfect place to seek comfort from the chaos of New York City.

Behind their main home, the couple has a smaller guesthouse that features the same wood-paneled walls and chic stone flooring.

The property has become something of a retreat for Maddow over the years, serving as the ideal spot where she can escape city life—and the stress of her on-air job.

So it should come as no surprise that the TV host wanted to ensure that it provided her with the perfect place to relax, even if that meant erecting a separate structure on the grounds where she felt she could truly unwind.

The structure in question? A bathhouse.

Maddow revealed in a 2014 interview with New York Magazine that she and Mikula came up with the idea for the single-story, outhouse-style building after realizing that they needed more bathrooms in the home.

However, they were afraid to mess with the original architecture of the pre-Civil War abode, so they came up with a very unique alternative.

“The house is symmetrical and historically preserved, and the idea that we would stick something onto it as an addition felt like putting a hat on a horse,” Maddow said at the time.

Maddow and Miluka also once held the keys to a New York City apartment in the West Village.

(Realtor.com)

Instead, the couple turned to architect Nicole Migeon, who designed an incredible wooden, shed-style structure that could be nestled into the grounds of the home—and was modeled after old tobacco-drying barns that were once common in that area.

Inside the bathhouse, which is made from sustainably grown cedar wood, there is a hot tub that has been dug into the ground. Meanwhile, a huge garagelike door serves to open up the space to the outside world—or provide complete privacy and shelter.

Adding to the cozy feel are a chandelier that hangs above the tub and a fireplace that sits to one side of the building, which also boasts a small corner seating nook.

But perhaps Maddow’s favorite element in the space? The TV. Particularly because there is no TV inside the main house.

“We don’t have a TV in the main house but I can seal myself in the bathhouse and watch football really loudly without bothering ­anybody. It’s very satisfying,” she shared.

Maddow and Miluka also once held the keys to a New York City apartment in the West Village.

The couple purchased the 2,650-square-foot pad for $1.25 million in 2015.

The Big Apple abode features two bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms. The building dates back to 1898 and faces a humble cobblestone street.

Inside the home, there is a stone-covered fireplace and a marble shower that show off the couple’s chic sense of style.

Maddow and Miluka listed the home for $2.35 million in 2020. It was then widely reported that the home sold for $2.2 million in 2022; however, property records still list Miluka as the owner of the luxe pad.

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