Converting an 80’s farmhouse into a modern home with bright rooms
Converting an 80’s farmhouse into a modern home with bright rooms,
Ballman Khapalova, an Ithaca-based architectural practice, transformed an 1980s farmhouse into a modern home with bright rooms,
a new 300-square-foot (28-square-meter) addition, a new roof, new wood exterior siding, and a new deck.
The house named Pine Lane House, located in Saugerties, New York, United States, is developed
as an upgrade of a former farmhouse to give it a fresh,
new look, with the goal of preserving the “unexpected sculptural quality” of the structure.
Ballman Khapalova has upgraded all mechanical systems and added new windows that align with the existing ones to increase all possible openings.
The aim of the studio was to complete the renovation on the lowest budget.
The main floor addition aligns the entryway with the center of the house,
moving the interior social space closer to the trees to the west.
The new roof hugs the trees and is nestled under canopies.
The team combined a custom steel railing with a wood rail that continues the rhythm and materials of the home’s facade.
The rooftop studio featured the addition of a circular hot tub,
while maintaining a deep view of the entire property.
This lends an unexpected sculptural quality to the building’s simple volume.
Since the original interior design was dark and introverted,
the studio aimed to lighten the rooms as much as possible, while connecting the inside and the outside.
Life in the new home is enhanced by the experience of the surroundings,
with each room connecting to the site in a unique way.
Design features
With the addition of the master bedroom suite, the interior hallway has been shortened.
The master bedroom has a window overlooking the garden to the east of the house.
A dedicated bed builds up the space within the master suite,
keeping the sleeping area private and tidy.
and openness and fluidity in the work and dressing areas.
The kitchen, dining and living spaces have been left as open spaces to create a large flexible social space
that is visually connected to the main features of the property,
such as the large tree to the west and the tree line to the south.
The pattern for the kitchen counter’s custom backsplash tile originated
as an interpretation of the floor plan studies made during the design process.
