An Elegant Update of a 1970s House in Katonah, NY, by TBo Architects

"Some issues were more immediate: the surrounding greenery was nearly swallowing the house, trees were growing through parts of the roof, and a chain-link fence used for a dog run had a prison-yard feel. Some issues were aesthetic but felt no less dire: the bathrooms and kitchen needed full gut renovations. And the windows, doors, and skylights were falling apart. We also made fundamental layout changes to improve circulation."

"Fortunately, Thom and Bret, a couple who together run TBo, are masters at well-composed revisions (scroll to the end to see their many projects that we've featured-and note the way they build cohesion and serenity into all their work)."

"The house came with a great California-Sea Ranch/Mission-Style sensibility that beautifully suits the area and its rolling horse pastures."

"The house, now cleared of overgrowth and given a softened roof line, "sits more tenderly into the surrounding fields and forests," says Bret. The architects preserved the deep eaves on the south faade, which overlooks a meadow. They replaced the roof and all of the windows and re-stuccoed the exterior."

A modest modernist house in Katonah was built in 1974 and later expanded about a decade afterward with additional wings, a porch, and a terrace. After years of heavy use, the property required major architectural intervention for a young family of four. Overgrowth nearly swallowed the house, trees had grown through parts of the roof, and a chain-link dog run fence created an oppressive feel. Bathrooms and the kitchen needed complete gut renovations, and windows, doors, and skylights had deteriorated. Layout changes improved circulation. Key elements were preserved, including a California Sea Ranch/Mission-style sensibility that fits the rolling horse pastures. The renovation cleared vegetation, softened the roofline, preserved deep south eaves, replaced the roof and all openings, and re-stuccoed the exterior.

Read at Remodelista