This residence replaces a previous house owned by the clients for many years. While the couple and their three daughters happily lived there for many years, the girls were now grown and starting families of their own. The clients anticipated needing more space and were eager to engage in the design of a new house.

Because the property is in a neighborhood of traditional style homes, designing an overtly modern house seemed an unlikely option. A large structure could overpower the modest lot. These factors, along with desire for abundant natural light, drove an L-shaped scheme that makes the property appear much larger, assures a comfortable scale, and affords all rooms access to light and views.

This renovation and addition to an existing small cottage occupies a verdant, forested sloping site. The owners inhabited the house on weekends for many years but decided they required more room as full-time residents.

The existing house’s post and beam construction imparted indoor character but made spaces feel dark. The simple, symmetrical, peaked roof structure consisted of an open main space (living/dining/kitchen), with flanking side aisles formed by bedrooms on either side.  There was little spatial variety to enliven this rigid programmatic configuration. The owners, both of whom work from home, needed proper spaces to work, discreetly and separately, as well as a more generous primary bedroom suite positioned at a comfortable distance from the main living space. This separation would afford privacy and broaden the breadth of movement within everyday use of the house.  Expanding and brightening the existing open living/dining volume was also a goal, with the addition of a chef’s kitchen.

Established in 1862, the library has served its New York State community for generations, expanding into its current facility in 1976 with an additional one-story wing completed in 2005. As increased borrowing, programming, and community use began to exceed the building’s capacity, SKOLNICK Architecture PLLC was commissioned to conduct a Space Needs and Feasibility Study evaluating the site, parking, building conditions, spatial organization, and building systems. Working with project consultants, the team developed recommendations for infrastructure, structural, and MEP improvements, along with a conceptual design for the library’s renovation and expansion.