house traditional and sleek
The site for this project is located outside the historic village of Rhinebeck in New York’s Hudson Valley. The objective was to create a new homestead including a house of approximately 3500 sq. ft. and a 1000 sq ft. pool house. During the design process a garage and connector to the house were added. The large and hilly wooded lot with rock outcroppings and old stone walls set the scene. Although the lot was sizeable, the buildable area was not. A very small portion of the wooded site was cleared to create the homestead.
The owners desired a house that aligned with the historic context of the area but was more streamlined than other historic houses in the region. The inspiration for the house came from American Foursquare houses. While living in Ireland the owners stayed in a house with very tall ceilings and windows. They wanted to recreate a similar spatial condition. The house features 12-foot-tall ceilings on most of the first floor with extremely tall windows. A paneled stair hall with a spiraling stair greets visitors arriving through the main entry. The first floor features a large living/dining room with a fireplace and coffered ceiling. A large opening connects the kitchen with the living/dining room. The kitchen is large with a nice view to the south and the pool house. Accessed from the living/dining room is a screened porch featuring a fireplace and hanging day bed. At the top of the winding stairs on the second floor is a sitting room with a vaulted ceiling and large dormer windows. The second floor also contains two bedrooms with en suite bathrooms.
Careful choices were made to connect the house to the site. The house was positioned on the site with its long axis running east-west. This allows for optimal daylighting. The south face of the house is exposed to the sun and the north face is sheltered by the forest. The residence is designed to maximize natural light, a fundamental feature that significantly enhances the quality of its interior spaces. A beautiful rock outcropping is to the east of the house. A large bay window was designed for the living/dining room that frames part of the rock outcropping and visually draws it into the living room.
Pool House Traditional and Sleek
The inspiration for the pool house came from Greek Revival architecture. It features a cathedral ceiling and loft. The cathedral ceiling is accented with nickel gap board and collar ties. A large triangular window in the north face of the pool house helps flood the main living space with daylight. It also contains a small but very efficient kitchen. Swimmers can access the bathroom and shower room from outside without walking through the house.
