Our client came to us asking for us to design a new gallery building for his growing art collection. The client wanted a large building with natural stone veneer, cedar shake roofs and large expanses of glass. He wanted a more contemporary style than his other buildings on the property but still wanted the building to be related to the others by the use of the materials and traditional volumes.

We conceived the project as three stone barns in keeping with the New England vernacular of the region. We contemporized these barns by connecting them with flat roofed all glass connectors and large, deep cantilevered glazed bays sheathed in red copper.

The approach to the building was very important. The site is very rocky and so we designed the driveway to wind around these rock outcroppings to hide the building from view and then expose the building to view for the visitor. As one approaches the front parking area, the building is exposed and you see the three volumes and the center volume’s main stair is in view through the bay.
Water was a key feature in the exterior approach. The walkway to the front door has a “waterfall” on the building side providing natural light down to the lower level gallery. On the opposite side of the walkway to the front door is a shallow reflecting pool providing its own gallery space for sculptures.

Inside the building, there are three levels. There are openings in the first floor ceiling to the second floor galleries to provide even taller ceilings for large artwork. The upper level has rugged oak trusses with steel tension rods. Several outdoor decks and porches provide spaces to gather and show additional sculpture.

Project Architects: Matt Arnott and Tom Papp

Durson Saylor: Photographer

Jason Borner of Amgine Builders: Contractor

Our clients bought this property to develop a new modern home. The existing house was sited nicely on the lot so we designed our new home within that basic footprint. Our clients wanted a shingled house with crisp black details using a familiar gable roof shape and flat roof extensions.
Our concept was to design the house with two gable forms connected between with a flat roofed glass connector. In addition porches and the garage were designed as extensions to this basic shape.

We created the front entry within the glass connector accessed from the driveway via a bluestone walkway with formed concrete garden walls. A black metal roof porch with steel columns and a bluestone landing lead one to the glass front door and sidelight. The modern natural white oak staircase is seen through the glass.

Beyond the front door, one walks through and into the large open great room, dining room and kitchen space with fireplace at one end and kitchen at the other. The back of this space is lined with glass doors leading out to a covered porch with lawn and pool beyond.

Project Architect: Matt Arnott, Laura Kaehler Architects, Greenwich, CT.

Project Interior Designer: Sharon Blaustein, ASID, BInterior, NYC.

Builder: Chris Krawczyk

A former client had asked us to be part of an Art Room renovation at a private school on behalf of the memory of their cherished daughter. Their daughter had spent many happy times in the art room and this seemed to be a very fitting project to undertake for her.

We were tasked to take two rooms and join them, provide plenty of accessible storage, provide more glass and connection to the adjacent interior corridor and most of all, provide a “WOW factor” to the space.

Taking the scope of work requested, we broke down the new larger space into two spaces; the area nearest the windows we made into the art creation space with desks, maker desks, storage behind doors and within drawers and a new community sink. This sink is actually a Wow. We designed a free form sink with multiple sprays out of yellow concrete. Since the girls using this room ranged in age between 3 and 10, we provided various heights for use and mobility.

The second space which is further from the windows has an art display wall built of cork and a full height storage wall that features a rolling ladder that the teacher can use to get to the higher shelves behind. A story telling area was left open for children to gather round the teacher at the beginning of each class. Above this space we designed a free form recessed layered ceiling with LED lighting to mark this area.

Lighting was a big feature. The design of the corridor lighting was conceived to be a teaching moment using primary colored plexiglass pieces that overlapped in different ways creating secondary colors when lit from above.

More interior windows, transoms and glass doors were integrated to provide more transparency to the corridor which is also used as art display space.

Lead Design Architect: Laura Kaehler, AIA

Project Architect: Matt Arnott

Builder: Hobbs, Inc

Renderer: Jonathan Sanchez of CG Sketch

Photographer: Stefan Radtke Studio

A client asked us to design a large new home on a beautiful piece of property with seasonal views of Long Island Sound. They wanted a comfortable home for family and entertaining. Good sized family spaces on the first floor for everyday use along with indoor/outdoor spaces on the lower level with easy access out to the pool and terrace.
The front entry looks through to the back through the end of the living room. The main stair takes one to the second and lower levels from the foyer. Wide hallways bisect the house bringing one to the living room, dining room, guest suite and down to the kitchen/family room.

The second floor’s primary suite is luxurious in size and amenities along with 3 other bedroom suites. At the far end is a nanny’s bedroom with a large lounge for which the children can entertain.

The lower level has a glass walled exercise room, laundry, changing room/bathroom, wet bar and spacious lounge with a wine cellar.

The back stair is a sculptural statement designed with “folded” white oak treads and risers and metal railings set within a glass wall facing the front.

The house is scheduled for completion in late 2023.

Lead Design Architect: Laura Kaehler, AIA

Project Architect: Ken Taverna

Team Architects: Matt Arnott and Michelle Huot, NCARB, OAQ

Builder: Frank Pompa of Pompa Development

Landscape Architect: Bruce Eckerson of Eckerson Design Associates

Civil Engineers: D’Andrea Engineers

Since our clients love what we designed for the lake side of their home a few years ago, they decided that the front of their home needed to be totally revamped and added onto in a similar manner. For the front, we have incorporated the same streamlined white volumes with large spans of glass as the back for the new garages and bedrooms above. More discreet family parking has been designed to take away the attention from the garage as one enters the property.

In addition, we have designed a glass box that will serve as the new front foyer. This glass box will attach to the existing colonial home via a wide reveal to provide a distinct separation.

The entire driveway and approach to the house will change to focus on this delicate glass box. Guest parking with a new bluestone walkway will direct visitors to the front door. Accessed by thick bluestone treads that will be lit from below, a blackened steel canopy will be built at the front door.

Inside the foyer, blackened steel columns will frame the space. A black granite floor with high ceiling will flow into the existing foyer.

Lighting has been designed to feature the walkway, the underside of the glass box to make it appear to “float”, the canopy and the interior volume.
This project is scheduled to be finished by Summer 2023.

Design architect: Laura Kaehler, AIA

Project Architect: Matt Arnott

Builder: Hobbs, Inc

Project Lead: Drew Timson

Project Manager: Michele Belansky

Project Superintendent: Erik Rudolf

Lighting Designer: Patdo Light Studio

Project Designer: Gary Novasel

Renderer: CG Sketch, Jonathan Sanchez

A couple with whom we worked previously was ready for their big project; renovating and adding on to the second floor and installing more glass below on the first and basement levels. Their wish was to have a very modern renovation/addition on the back to compliment their existing two story colonial home. We decided to design a modern “stepped box” with solid corners and floor to ceiling infill. In a previous renovation, we had used anodized aluminum window and doors and chose to use the same for this project. The scope of work on the second floor was a new Owner’s bedroom, bathroom and dressing room along with a glass sided sauna; new daughter’s bedroom, bathroom and closet space; new stair railings; new expanded outdoor deck; new windows and doors in the existing family room and basement game rooms. To bring the entire house into the new look, we also changed the front porch columns, roofing and window above.

Lead Architect: Laura Kaehler, AIA

Lead Project Architect and Designer: Matt Arnott

Interior Designer: Jack Montgomery

Builder: Hobbs, Inc.

Photographer: Stefan Radtke Studio

A contemporary home on a 3+ acre lot in Greenwich was designed for a client who wanted a crisp, glass filled exterior with an open plan interior. The house merges with the landscape and allows all rooms to have daylight while maintaining privacy where needed. The exterior palette is cedar shingle upper walls above a smooth “greige” colored stucco base. Bronze colored windows and doors blend with the materials. The front entry is made of all glass with its second floor glass shielded by horizontal cedar slats. A glass and metal canopy above the entry door was designed for protection from the rain.

Project Designer: Matt Arnott

Project Renderer: Jonathan @ CG Sketch

Featured in Connecticut Magazine’s April 2021 issue.

Our client bought a lake side property and asked us to design their family home. They wanted a one story home with as much glass as possible and an open kitchen, dining, family room. An in-law suite was needed in addition. We designed that suite off of the front foyer to give it privacy yet allow easy access to the family.

Project Architect: Tom Papp, LKA

Lead Designer: Laura Kaehler, AIA

Photographer: Stefan Radtke Studio

Builder: Bankside Partners, Westport, CT 203-212-8453

Our clients bought a 1980 contemporary that needed updating and more space. We were asked to design a new kitchen, family room open to the dining and living rooms. A glass addition was added, walls were removed between spaces and all new finishes were provided. We chose a simple black and white color scheme for the kitchen after having selected a fabulous black and white veined granite for the island. The kitchen was custom built with white lacquered cabinets along the perimeter and black stained oak for the “L” shaped island. A built in breakfast banquette was incorporated into the island for comfortable family gatherings. We designed the upholstered seating, resin table with pedestal table base and client purchased hanging fixtures in multi-colors. The family room was designed as a home theater with acoustics being primary to the design. A suspended fabric ceiling was dropped from the ceiling. A full wall of audio equipment was built in behind our custom built oak and black fabric mask with a large screen television crowning it all.
The master suite was reworked with our light greige stained wood bed and “floating” nightstands and incredible pillowed headboard. Wall papered walls flank 3 walls with a special plastered wall crafted at the bed wall.

The gentleman’s bathroom palette was decided after selecting a striking black and gold veined marble we used for the shower walls and vanity counter. The walls and ceiling were treated with a special black plaster finish.

We decorated the entire home with custom sofas, chairs, bed, nightstand and benches throughout.

Project Architect: Matt Arnott

Team Architect: Michelle Huot, NCARB, OAQ

Builder: Neupmann Builders, Danbury, CT.

Upholstery and Custom Furniture: Classic Upholstery, Norwalk, CT.

Photographer: Stefan Radtke Studio, Port Chester, NY.

Our clients' house had too many different levels on the first floor which cut up the spaces so that they were unusable. There were always going to be two levels on each side of the house but they asked us to redesign the middle of the house to be on one level. We kept the foundation and part of the main section of roof but everything else was removed and rebuilt. Because the house was right on the beach with amazing views of the Long Island Sound, we designed the main rooms of the house on the water side using wide and tall sliding doors and expanses of glass. The kitchen, dining and living areas open up to each other and out to the new deck and pool. We designed a "bridge" across the dining/living areas to access one side of the second floor to the other side. Glass railings were used in many locations to allow more light and views. Bronze horizontal railings were used for the stairs to add detail and warmth in materials.

A large stone chimney was built with an indoor and outdoor fireplace. 

Interior Decorator: Robin Liotta of HB Home, Westport

Landscape Architect: Susan Cohen

Builder: Desmond Builders

Photographer: Keith Scott Morton

This contemporary house was designed to capture high views of LI Sound from each room. The house was rotated to create a large sunny pool terrace with several areas to sit including under a wooden pergola with outdoor fireplace. Aerial view from the southeast looking at pool, terraces and glass walls of house show the overall design.

Lead Designer: Laura Kaehler, AIA

Project Architect: David Reilly

Pool, Hardscape and Landscape Design: Laura Kaehler Architects

Builder: Milton Development

Photographer: Stefan Radtke Studio

BURNHAM HILL CONTEMPORARY

Our clients purchased a rather plain house on a pretty corner in Westchester. They wanted to update the entire exterior along with replacing all interior finishes. For the exterior, they chose to use a neutral palette of light brown with dark bronze windows. We replaced all the siding with new cedar clapboard and reconfigured windows and sliding door locations. For the front entry, we designed a custom natural wood pivot door with sidelights and large windows to the left and right that we covered in cedar slats for privacy and interesting shadow play. 
In the back, we added a two level ipe and cedar deck with slats and stainless steel cables for a fresh and contemporary look. To separate the two level deck area, we designed a built in planter to soften the large wooden area and offer greenery view from the interior. The two level deck allows for gracious movement down to the pool,  terrace and yard.

Interior Designer: B Interior, NYC

Builder: Jeflyn Construction

Our client bought this house and asked us to renovate it completely to maximize views, adding a spacious master bedroom suite, 

Project Architect: Dave Reilly

Interior Decorator: Tim Macdonald Interiors, NY, NY.

Builder: D. Reis Contractors, Long Island, NY.

Photographer: Durston Saylor

A young musician/artist couple asked us to design a new look for the exterior of their new house. In addition, inside they wanted to incorporate a large central gathering space for family and friends. We tore down most of the interior walls to open up the space for better light and function. We designed the space to have the kitchen at one end, a built in breakfast banquette in the center and a family room with fireplace at the other end. We used light wood as the framework of the space which provided a neutral backdrop to the couple's colorful decorating. Everything about the space begs one to relax, enjoy and be comfortable!

Project Architect: Matt Arnott

Project Decorators: Millwright Interiors and Laura Kaehler Architects

Builder: Desmond Builders

Project Architect: Dave Reilly

Interior Decorator: Homeowner

Photographer: Tim Lee

Our clients purchased a home next door to their existing vacation home looking to renovate the new home for their grown children's use. They wanted the new home to have the same materials and style as their home which lead us to our design. In addition, there were strict height restrictions on what could be built on this site which directed us to build new dormers for the new second floor rooms within the existing roof volume. The guest house was designed for comfortable family living with a new kitchen, dining and living areas open to each other. Private suites were designed at the ends of the house for each family. 

Project Architect: Dave Reiliy

Interior Decorating: Timothy Macdonald Interiors

Builder: BD Remodeling

Photographer: Tim Lee

Our clients wanted a new home that would blend in with the traditional shore style of the Old Greenwich coast with an open and contemporary interior allowing views from all rooms. The property is in a flood zone and is tight and narrow. So our scheme was to design a home that was narrow and deep with the garage in the front, foyer and stair and kitchen, family room and dining closest to the water side.

Photographer: Tim Lee

Builder: Gallo Construction

Our clients asked us to design a two story wing to the home we designed for them a few years before. Their two children were now young teenagers and the parents wanted to build them space for their friends and them to hang out. They also wanted a proper Study for the parents. Our solution was to create a square "U" shaped floor plan by adding a wing to the existing "L" plan and making the new wing of the same materials; stone, mahogany and clapboard but "contemporizing" it using more glass on the outside and more open spaces and contemporary materials on the inside. Where the wing attaches to the existing house, we designed a flat roofed circulation connection with a new hallway and stair. The hallway has floor to ceiling mahogany framed glass doors and windows with a stainless and mahogany stair leading down to the lower game room level.

Project Architect: Tom Papp

Interior Decorator: Timothy Macdonald

Builder: Amgine Builders

Photographer: Durston Saylor

Our clients owned a heavily wooded, private property with a weekend house. They wanted to build a small guest house for their grown children and their families to use while they visited. They also wanted the new building to blend in very discreetly with the trees, rock outcroppings and topography. 

We chose to locate the home high on a rock outcropping and design it to look as though it was built out of the rocks and set within the trees. We did not cut down any trees and worked with the existing to enhance the natural qualities of the site. 

The house was built using cedar shingles for the walls, local stone for the base and tower and thick cedar shakes for the roofing. It was designed to compliment the existing shingle style main home but with more contemporary details outside and inside. 

The roof overhangs come to a "knife" edge and because we built deep overhangs, there are no gutters or leaders. The windows were designed to "melt away" the corners adding to the house's transparency.

At 2300 sf, we included a master suite, guest suite, open kitchen, great room with dining and somewhat separate study area and dramatic foyer. Outdoor sitting and dining was designed with a large stone fireplace underneath a deep porch roof. Irregular shaped stone pavers with moss and ground cover were built with a natural edge for a comfortable terrace. A small waterfall and rock outcroppings line the area between the terrace and the landscape.

Project Architect: Dave Reilly

Interior Decorator: Timothy Macdonald Interiors, NYC

Builder: R. C. Metell Builders

Landscape Architect: 

Photographer: Durston Saylor

A couple asked us to design a new home that blended transitional style with lots of bold details and warm woods. Having bought a prominent property overlooking a bustling town, they wanted to capitalize on the townscape views while maintaining their privacy. We landed on a “stylized” shingle home with large paned windows, heavy, detailed white crown moldings, casings and brackets and two front entrances! One front entrance is on the street and the second is on a quiet cobblestoned access drive. Inside we designed a show stopper stair using walnut dowels threaded through white square lattice capped with a walnut railing and a glass ball newel. The entire stair hall space was paneled in a crisp white painted paneling with a large stepped crown molding at the ceiling. The first floor is open and flexible with a dining room that can accommodate large family gatherings, family room and study with a wrap around porch for outdoor sitting and dining. Grilling happens off of the side terrace next to the kitchen and facing the street.

The couple’s children are grown so they decided they wanted the master suite on the first floor with one bedroom suite for each grown child along with their shared home office. When the house is full, it is just the right size. Yet, when it is just the two of them, it feels cozy and comfortable, too.

Project Designer: Laura Kaehler

Project Architect: David Reilly

Team Architect: Tom Papp

Interior Decorator: Stacey Gendleman Designs

Landscape Architect: Craig Studer of Studer Design Associates

Builder: West Builders

Photographer: Phillip Ennis

Our clients owned a beautiful old stone cow barn from the turn of the last century. They wanted to update it to use it for a gathering space for family and friends and a guest house for visiting family. With the exterior's architecture of river rock, slate and a barn-like shape, we wanted the interiors to be more sleek and contemporary to really highlight the difference between the centuries.

We chose to open up the interior by taking out quite a bit of the second floor to allow a tall ceilinged great room with a fireplace at one end and a kitchen at the other end. We brought in as much light as we could to really make the interiors "float". 
We designed the kitchen using a dark espresso stained oak cabinetry, white stone counters and multi-colored glass tile backsplashes. Island seating was incorporated.

A built in breakfast banquette was designed next to new larger windows facing the yard and the sunlight. 
Upstairs there is one bedroom and full bathroom with a stackable washer/dryer in a closet. 

Interior Decorator: Eric Roseff Interiors

Builder: Koushouris Builders

Our clients purchased a property next door to their house to build a sport barn for their three teenage children. The program was to design a half court basketball court, squash court, batting cages and a gym along with a chef's kitchen and family room with a luxurious master suite above. Outside is a large swimming pool and spa set in a stone circular wall with outdoor porches and balconies. There are spaces for everyone!

The exterior was designed to respect the architecture of our clients' home next door using the same volumes and materials along with increasing the amount of glass, adding more modern details and changing the color of the windows and exterior doors to a black finish. This "modern barn" style blends in with the neighborhood while looking more transitional in style.

Project Architect: Tom Papp

Builder: Sound Beach Partners

Interior Decorator: Eric Roseff Interiors

Turning a bland basement into a WOW space with a TO GO location was our task. At the bottom and on center of our Client’s main stair, we located the new theater. We framed a thickened birds-eye maple portal with an espresso hued padded door to provide drama and separate the house from the magic of the movies.

We used dark red fabric wrapped panels above ebony stained wood wainscoting. We chose a dark, plush carpet on which to seat our comfortable theater chairs.

To meet every theater goer’s needs, we designed a birds-eye maple, stainless steel and glass wet bar. A leather finished black granite counter with titanium mirror backsplash finish the material selection.

At the other end of the hallway, we designed stainless steel and glass display cabinets for the guitar collection using mirrored backs and integrated lighting to see the backs of these special objects.

A Greenwich, CT couple bought a west coast apartment to renovate and create a get away destination while visiting their grown children. The two story apartment needed a total redo and we were asked to direct. All new interior finishes were added. The back wall on both floors was fitted out with more windows and exterior doors to capture the breath-taking views of the Bay Bridge and City below. An outdoor deck was designed off of the owner’s bedroom with full height glass doors: a pair behind the bed serving as a headboard and one on each side accessed via custom nightstands that served as steps to the deck. Color was infused into the home by the Owner and Interior Designer. Working remotely from the East coast required hiring an exceptionally talented builder who could handle many of the details with email questions and phone calls to us.

Lead Architect Designer: Laura Kaehler, AIA

Lead Interior Designer: Debbie Lipner, ASID

Builder: Jake Cleveland

Photographer: David Livingston

Project Architect: Tom Papp

Our client asked us to design a simple and compact vacation home. The property has great views of the water and they wanted to capitalize on those views. We decided to design the first floor of the home as one large open space with kitchen, dining, living and stair. Along the long wall to the north, we positioned sliding doors and windows out to the terrace facing the water. Each bedroom on the second floor has sliding doors out to a continuous deck. A cantilevered sculptural outdoor stair takes you up to the roof deck and spa.

Photography by: Alex Miller

Our clients lived in a European style brick and slate home on a lake in Greenwich but longed for a more contemporary interior with walls of glass. The style of the exterior didn't lend itself to big expanses of glass so we introduced wide dormers filled with windows that matched the house's. These dormers provided more sunlight to enter from all sides and allowed the ceilings to be taller also reflecting more sunlight throughout. To keep the house light and airy, interior cabinetry, stone and other finishes were kept light in color along with natural bluestone flooring to bring the outside in.

Project Architect: Neil Bouknight

Interior Decorator: Laura Kaehler Architects with the Owner

Landscape Architect: Devore Associates

Builder: Gallo Builders

Project Architect: Tom Papp

Builder: Amgine Builders: Jason Borner

Project Decorator: Michael Popowitz & Laura Kaehler of Laura Kaehler Architects

Our client purchased a 1920’s Tudor in mid-country Greenwich that needed some updating. As with most Tudor homes, the house needed more daylight. Without hurting the integrity of the brick and stone exterior walls, we added a wall of windows in the kitchen and more windows in the main stair gable wall. Other rooms that we couldn’t add windows, we chose to add paint finishes that would enhance and expand the existing daylight. In the north facing living room, the existing oak paneled walls made the space appear dark. We decided to keep the oak wainscot walls and add white venetian plaster with some sparkle to the walls above the oak wainscoting and paint the crown molding along the ceiling line in a high gloss white. This reflected light into and around the room and provided the desired effect for which we were looking. The master suite was also enlivened with light finishes and fresh details including adding a cabinet between the master sitting and bedroom. We installed light colored marble and contemporary cabinetry and mirrors in the woman’s bathroom and dressing rooms to give the sense of more space.

Project Architect: Matt Arnott

Interior Decorator: Tim Macdonald Interiors, NYC

Builder: John Desmond Builders

Finalist in Connecticut Cottages & Gardens IDA: 2016

Project Architect: Tom Papp

Builder: Jeflyn Construction: Jeff Jutras

Photographer: Durston Saylor

We had designed several areas of our clients stately 1920's tudor when they asked us to design an addition for their growing contemporary art collection. We discussed the need to blend the addition to the architecture of the home yet provide tall spaces with very few windows. The more long and tall walls the better to show off their paintings.

We decided to design the footprint to follow the curve of the driveway in keeping with the opposite side of the home. The exterior elevations were kept lower than the main center volume of the house using the same brick, stone and stucco with tudor boards for the walls. Because we needed as much wall space as possible inside, we placed our windows higher in the walls within the stucco upper band. This allowed us to the best of both worlds: daylight and wall space. The gallery is set on ledge so we designed a two level space that worked with the topography.

Project Architect: Cedric Araica

Our client purchased a small vacation home and wanted to update it to make it feel larger, brighter and more of an open floor plan. As one walked in the front door, there was a large roughly built stair that was unattractive and seemed to take up so much valuable room.  Since there was no other location to build a stair, we designed a lighter looking, "floating" type stair of maple and stainless steel cables that became sculptural art. This set the direction for the rest of the space.

Photographer: Durston Saylor

Builder: John Barrows

Our clients purchased a 1970's contemporary which was in need of renovating. They liked the basic bones of the house; the exterior volumes and the possibility of wonderful indoor/outdoor living.

We created a glassed front entry sandwiched between the two classic contemporary volumes and heightened the entry with two levels of glass. The middle level is open to the front foyer while the upper level is set back into the roofline and brings sunlight into the middle of the house. 
We removed walls and created a see through open space into a new dining room and living room and out to the pretty back yard. 

We created drama in the front entry with the new stair and its mahogany,  glass and metal "Mondrian-like" screen wall that acts as full height art and provides privacy to the second floor. Glass railings and open volumes in the entry and the living room add spaciousness and light throughout the house.

Project Architect: Richard Basic

Our clients purchased a great apartment with amazing views of Central Park and NY roof-scapes. However, it was in terrible condition and needed to be gutted down to the exterior walls. That gave us the opportunity to re-design the layout by widening hallways, providing larger openings into rooms, doubling the size of the kitchen and creating copious storage. The exterior of the building was designed in a modern take on an Art Deco design so we took our cues from that for the interior. We used large stepped painted crown moldings, casings and baseboards and thick stained mahogany portals at the entries into the major rooms. Floors were stained dark oak. Walls were painted light cream and beige colors. The kitchen was designed in a dark stained mahogany cabinetry with black granite counters and muted jewel toned glass tile backsplashes. The entire apartment is calm in feeling but striking in its details and materials.

Interior Architecture: Laura Kaehler Architects

Project Architect: Tom Papp

Interior Decorator: Timothy Macdonald Interiors

Photographer: Durston Saylor

Our clients had lived in their apartment with their children for about 15 years and decided it was time to renovate and design a better kitchen, master suite, bathrooms and storage! Built ins were extremely important living in a NYC apartment, so closed and open shelving, built ins around HVAC units and clever closet storage were designed. The clients wanted to use light wood cabinetry and wood flooring and painted finishes and have the home feel like like their home on the shore.

Builder: Black Square Builders, NYC:  Jim Valouch.

A past client had been looking for several years for an apartment with a special view. We had looked at several and nothing made the cut. Then one day, she called and asked for me to look at this apartment listing and tell he what I thought. I saw the balcony and the views in the photos and said "buy it"!!

She and her husband made an offer immediately and bought it. However, It was in terrible condition and had to be gutted. The apartment was a two bedroom with an awkward, small entry, tiny kitchen and narrow living room with wood burning fireplace. Our clients wanted a simple, more modern and warm interior and needed plenty of storage space! 
We chose to use a budget friendly sapele veneer wood for most of the living space cabinetry and built ins. We opened up the side of the kitchen as much as we could to the dining area. The views are amazing so we tried to capitalize on them by building a breakfast bar in the kitchen with a stone counter and base cabinetry and room for two stools. In the dining area, we designed a built in window seat with drawers below and full height cabinetry to each side. The built ins continued into the living room on each side of the fireplace. Behind one set of doors is a television. Since the fireplace is so visible, we used a striped Zebrino stone to highlight it even more. 

Builder: Ken Becker of Aspen Interiors, NYC.

Our client bought a duplex while it was under construction and was able to customize the interior with us. He asked us to design the interior moldings, doors and surfaces and decorate the interior with comfortable transitional style furnishings.

He liked clean, modern architecture within a more traditional framework of crown and dentil moldings. We chose to use moldings with step details and thickly applied dentil details around the perimeter of all rooms. We designed frosted glass and darkly stained mahogany doors along with a dark stained oak floor to set off the cream and soft gray furniture palette.

Project Architect: Tom Papp

Builder: Black Square Builders, NYC: Jim Valouch.

Decorative Painter: Michelle Kole.

Several years ago, our client needed our help to design a discrete but code compliant pool fence for their negative edge pool and stone pool house structure. Our solution was to design a fence that would follow the rectilinear shape of the man made structures and follow the natural undulating topography of the landscape using curves. We decided to use bronze square balusters without any horizontal framing to allow both the geometric and curved shapes. The vertical balusters would allow views through, blend in with the colors on the site and take the curved shape we desired.

Project Architect: Laura Kaehler

Builder: BD Builders

Our clients asked us to design a new home for their working horse farm. They wanted the home to have a classic design as though built in the 1920's down in Maryland. We researched the area and found that many of our favorite homes had a brick central volume with cedar clapboard wings that would have been added over time. All homes had large covered porches to provide shade to the interior spaces and to allow outdoor entertaining in the hot mid-Atlantic summers. We designed the floor plan in a "boomerang" shape to help funnel the air along the porches and into the home for natural ventilation.

We designed a "floating" curved stair with traditional turned spindles which greets you as you walk in the front foyer. The stair is visible from the dining room and the living room and becomes the focal point of the main body of the house. The plan is simple, with all rooms opening to other rooms on two sides. This allows easy flow for guests and family. It also allows good air flow throughout the house which is so important.

We designed a separate two car garage with a guest house at the back and above the garage. This cottage has its own outdoor porch and is attached to the main house with an open porch walkway. 

Interior Decorator: Deborah Lipner Design

Landscape Architect: Devore Associates

Builder: Ilex Builders

Photographer: Durston Saylor