Briar Cliff Manor, Westchester
The client sought to create a major extension to the existing residence, including a new three-car garage, an expanded kitchen, a new living room, and two additional bedrooms above the extension. The primary design challenge was circulation—integrating the existing entrance seamlessly with the expanded program and new spatial organization.
The Eureka Moment
The circulation challenge was resolved by removing the bathroom adjacent to the dining room and reconfiguring the plan to create a clear passage from the main entrance lobby. This new walkway passes between the dining room and study and arrives at a central four-column portico, which becomes the organizing element connecting the kitchen, dining room, and living room into a cohesive spatial sequence.
The front entrance geometry on the right side of the house was echoed on the left, establishing balance and strengthening the overall presence of the façade. A tall archway to the right and a trellis treatment to the left, framed by stately columns, anchor the composition as a unified architectural statement.
In my experience, renovations and additions are often more challenging than new construction. The guiding intention in all alteration projects is to make the final result appear as though the house was originally built this way.
Before & After
