A family has decided to relocate from New York City to Chappaqua, a suburb north of the city. They found a Georgian Revival house built in the 1920's, set in a bucolic landscape next to a brook, with an apple orchard and a pond in front. The house was too small for their needs however, and there was no substantial relationship between the interior and the surrounding landscape. In addition, they felt that the layout and style of the interior was somewhat too traditional for their informal lifestyle and modern sensibility.

Our objective was to address the clients' needs without compromising the integrity of the existing house. Two one-story wings and a new entry were added in order to expand the living space on the ground level, with sight lines established to create a more open relationship between interior and exterior.

The east wing is a sunroom, which doubles as a media center equipped with motorized shades and a sophisticated AV system built into a custom-designed walnut enclosure. Two subwoofers are set into the floor for full sonic effect. The west wing is a large eat-in kitchen that opens onto an expansive flagstone terrace. Each wing has radiant-heated bluestone floors, while the rest of the ground level is laid with wide plank pine. A new entry links the house and garage, and leads directly to a mudroom and the kitchen. Circulation passages on the ground level have been expanded to create a sense of spaciousness and flow.

The roof of the kitchen addition, adjacent to the second-floor home office, became a private deck. New marble fireplace surrounds were designed for the living room and master bedroom, while the old-fashioned master bath was rebuilt with a custom marble vanity and steam shower. Contemporary furniture and artwork, mixed with the clients' heirlooms, create an environment that is refined and modern yet also personal and sensitive to the traditional setting.