The driving impetus for this Tarrytown residence was centered around creating a green and sustainable home. The owner-Architect collaboration was unique for this project in that the client was also the builder with a keen desire to incorporate LEED-centric principles to the design process. The original home on the lot was deconstructed piece by piece, with 95% of the materials either reused or reclaimed. The home is designed around the existing trees with the challenge of expanding the views, yet creating privacy from the street. The plan pivots around a central open living core that opens to the more private south corner of the lot. The glazing is maximized but restrained to control heat gain. The residence incorporates numerous features like a 5,000-gallon rainwater collection system, shading features, energy-efficient systems, spray-foam insulation and a material palette that helped the project achieve a five-star rating with the Austin Energy Green Building program.

http://www.studiomomentum.com Reclaimed Hardwood Flooring from original home was salvaged and used in master suite. Shaded by trees, screened porches on first and second floor along with copula and electronic sky light as well as electronic openers on windows in upper levels, provide a perfect ciphone to draw out the summer heat. Screened in porch on first and second floor linked by staircase from breakfast room to the master suite allow for the feel of being in a tree house to the master suite. Home owners don't turn on their air conditioning until mid June because of the comfortable environment provided by positioning the home on the site, overhangs and drawing cooler air through the home from the outside. The owners are proud that their 3400 sq ft home, during the hottest months, electric bills only run $150,00/month. Loft over Master bathroom and master closet overlooking a vista view. This Five Star Energy Home was designed by Travis Gaylord Young of Studio Momentum, Austin, Texas and built by Katz Builders, Inc.

Nestled between multiple stands of Live Oak trees, the Westlake Residence is a contemporary Texas Hill Country home. The house is designed to accommodate the entire family, yet flexible in its design to be able to scale down into living only in 2,200 square feet when the children leave in several years. The home includes many state-of-the-art green features and multiple flex spaces capable of hosting large gatherings or small, intimate groups. The flow and design of the home provides for privacy from surrounding properties and streets, as well as to focus all of the entertaining to the center of the home. Finished in late 2006, the home features Icynene insulation, cork floors and thermal chimneys to exit warm air in the expansive family room. Photography by Allison Cartwright

The program consists of a detached Guest House with full Kitchen, Living and Dining amenities, Carport and Office Building with attached Main house and Master Bedroom wing. The arrangement of buildings was dictated by the numerous majestic oaks and organized as a procession of spaces leading from the Entry arbor up to the front door. Large covered terraces and arbors were used to extend the interior living spaces out onto the site. All the buildings are clad in Texas limestone with accent bands of Leuders limestone to mimic the local limestone cliffs in the area. Steel was used on the arbors and fences and left to rust. Vertical grain Douglas fir was used on the interior while flagstone and stained concrete floors were used throughout. The flagstone floors extend from the exterior entry arbors into the interior of the Main Living space and out onto the Main house terraces.

David Deitrich

A western red cedar Pergola was installed to help screen the afternoon sun from the living room inside. After the pergola was finished, we planted American Wisteria (much less aggressive than it's Asian cousin) at the base of the columns.

Robin Stancliff

Roof Color: Weathered Wood Siding Color: Benjamin Moore matched to C2 Paint's Wood Ash Color.

Stunning high ceilings living room with custom cabinets

Westchester Whimsy This project was a two phase addition to a simple colonial house in Chappaqua, NY. Challenges for Daniel Contelmo included the hilly site, as well as the fact that the front entry lacked presence and the garage was the primary entry. Phase one added a family room, kitchen and breakfast room to the main level, and renovated a bedroom. New overhangs and brackets draw the eye away from the garage and place the focus on the house. Phase two completed the renovation and added space to the front of the house; this was an opportunity to add character to the bedrooms with a turret, and a vaulted ceiling in the bedroom over the entry. A new car pulloff allows visitors to view the front door rather than the garage. An open-air pool cabana with an outdoor fireplace and kitchen serves as a space for year-round activities. The final product was an exquisitely detailed and tastefully decorated home that integrates colonial and shingle style architecture with whimsical touches that give the house a more animated feel.

Striking sculpture in the front entry court by Woods Davy - http://www.woodsdavy.com/Contact.html. Photo by Michael Woodall

The existing 1950’s ranch house was remodeled by this firm during a 4-year period commencing in 1997. Following the Phase I remodel and master bedroom loft addition, the property was sold to the present owners, a retired geologist and freelance artist. The geologist discovered the largest gas reserve in Wyoming, which he named ‘Jonah’. The new owners program included a guest bedroom suite and an office. The owners wanted the addition to express their informal lifestyle of entertaining small and large groups in a setting that would recall their worldly travels. The new 2 story, 1,475 SF guest house frames the courtyard and contains an upper level office loft and a main level guest bedroom, sitting room and bathroom suite. All rooms open to the courtyard or rear Zen garden. The centralized fire pit / water feature defines the courtyard while creating an axial alignment with the circular skylight in the guest house loft. At the time of Jonahs’ discovery, sunlight tracks through the skylight, directly into the center of the courtyard fire pit, giving the house a subliminal yet personal attachment to the present owners. Different types and textures of stone are used throughout the guest house to respond to the owner’s geological background. A rotating work-station, the courtyard ‘room’, a stainless steel Japanese soaking tub, the communal fire pit, and the juxtaposition of refined materials and textured stone reinforce the owner’s extensive travel and communal experiences.

water features, bubbler, flagstone hardscaping, rock garden, outdoor seating, outdoor living space

Images by Nic LeHoux and Bohlin Cywinski Jackson/ Bohlin Grauman Miller Inc.

Edward Jacoby

Peter Landers