Photo: Travis Rathbone from 62nd to 158th Street along Manhattan’s West Side, Riverside Park is a vast expanse of green space on the edge of the Hudson River. The park is home to beautiful gardens, landscaped paths, sports facilities, public art, and some of the most stunning river views. For that reason it is widely regarded as Manhattan’s most spectacular waterfront park. No wonder it is one of the most sought after neighborhoods in the city. This interior project set along the scenic section of the Hudson came with only one criteria….make it cool. As a second home and city escape the client wanted a hip retreat for family and guests with a turn key interior. DL happily accepted the challenge creating unique and beautiful custom pieces and selecting everything from the wall-coverings to the kitchen appliances. As this was a secondary residence we had the freedom and flexibility to create an even more artful environment. These elements are apparent with the strong use of metal, concrete and the sculptural details of the furniture.

We are delighted to have completed the radical transformation of a tired detached property in South Croydon. When they appointed Granit, our clients were living in the property which had previously been divided into a number of flats. The historic sub-division had resulted in an extremely poor use of space with redundant staircases, kitchens and bathrooms throughout. Our clients sought to reconfigure the property back into a single dwelling for his growing family. Our client had an eye for design and was keen to balance contemporary design whilst maintaining as much of the character of the original house. Maximising natural light, space and establishing a visual and physical connection were also key drivers for the design. Owing to the size of the property, it became apparent that reconfiguration rather than extension provided the solution to meet the brief. A metal clad ‘intervention’ was introduced to the rear facade. This created a strong horizontal element creating a visual balance with the vertical nature of the three storey gable. The metal cladding specified echoed the colour of the red brick string courses tying old with new. Slender frame sliding doors provide access and views of the large garden. The central circulation space was transformed by the introduction of a double height glazed slot wrapping up the rear facade and onto the roof. This allows daylight to permeate into the heart of the otherwise dark deep floor plan. The staircase was reconfigured into a series of landings looking down over the main void space below and out towards the tree canopies at the rear of the garden. The introduction of double pocket doors throughout the ground floor creates a series of interconnected spaces and the whitewashed Larch flooring flows seamlessly from room to room. A bold palette of colours and materials lends character and texture throughout the property. The end result is a spacious yet cosy environment for the family to inhabit for years to come.

Located on a private ranch on the Central Coast of California, The North Coast Ranch is a contemporary agrarian compound with a rich family heritage. The compound includes a main house, guest house, and detached garage/workshop situated on what was once a hog farm. The agrarian setting and history of the property inspired much of the design and detailing. The agrarian influences are apparent in the exposed framing, cedar siding, barn form roof lines, and a tower element inspired by the existing concrete silos located on the property. To celebrate the family’s Swiss heritage, the exposed rafter tails are individually branded with the Swiss flag insignia. On the interior, a large open floor plan and 10’ sliding glass doors provide plenty of space for family gatherings and opportunities for indoor/outdoor living. Adding to the grandeur of the spaces, the kitchen and living room boast vaulted cathedral ceilings. The agrarian detailing continues throughout the house with the incorporation of warm materials and exposed structure. Concrete slats, originally a part of the old hog pen infrastructure, were reutilized to create a feature wall in the dining room.

Located on a private ranch on the Central Coast of California, The North Coast Ranch is a contemporary agrarian compound with a rich family heritage. The compound includes a main house, guest house, and detached garage/workshop situated on what was once a hog farm. The agrarian setting and history of the property inspired much of the design and detailing. The agrarian influences are apparent in the exposed framing, cedar siding, barn form roof lines, and a tower element inspired by the existing concrete silos located on the property. To celebrate the family’s Swiss heritage, the exposed rafter tails are individually branded with the Swiss flag insignia. On the interior, a large open floor plan and 10’ sliding glass doors provide plenty of space for family gatherings and opportunities for indoor/outdoor living. Adding to the grandeur of the spaces, the kitchen and living room boast vaulted cathedral ceilings. The agrarian detailing continues throughout the house with the incorporation of warm materials and exposed structure. Concrete slats, originally a part of the old hog pen infrastructure, were reutilized to create a feature wall in the dining room.

Transform a room with a modern built in wall unit of hardwoods that match your interior decor style. Form and function come together in any transitional, modern or contemporary design motif with the use of single or multiple hardwoods in a customize-able built in that allows your personal design style to radiate. Our use of modern influences from the Mid Century Modern era have allowed us to create an interior design product that can enhance our clients interior decor vision and provide a dramatic visual statement while solving space planning and storage issues. Our Madison Avenue collection of built in modular wall units can be customized to enhance any room in your home or office and provide timeless eye appeal with customized function. Our Madison Avenue wall units, plinths and casework are available in varying configurations for the bedroom that includes built in floating nightstands along with a vast array of choices for padding in differing shapes and fabric offerings. The wall installations are also available in any custom size and length and in nearly any hardwood imaginable for office, commercial, bathrooms and any other living or work environment. Installations can be adapted to include shelving, cube arrays, floating plinth elements along with lighting options that include incorporated wall sconce and overhead LED spot lighting. Our lighting options can be controlled with our original touch switch dimmers that are built into the consoles, night stands, walls or shelving. The pictured Mid-Century influenced console is 93.5" wide by 24" deep and high and offers three internal compartments for media and storage and two outer compartments that are covered in fabric to mimic a classic stereo console. The case is made from solid hardwood while the doors are covered in reconstituted real wood veneer over Meranti marine ply for superb stability and ultimate longevity. The four doors slide effortlessly and conceal adjustable Walnut shelves though open compartments and drawers are options in this console design. The media console is available in a vast array of solid hardwoods, depths, widths and internal configurations while the appearance can be drastically changed by the choice of veneers for the sliding doors and by adding open compartments or visually apparent drawers to the cabinet face. The Mad Ave console is also available in various leg styles and heights that will adapt this Mid Century influenced case into a dining room sideboard, bedroom dresser or of course into a standalone stereo / media console. Several designs within our new furniture collection along with other collections, upholstery and window treatments will be on display at our new interior design showroom and furniture gallery, Interior Design Accents located at 7 Jackson Street in East Dundee, IL.

A complete remodel of this entire home provided the flow and functionality our clients hoped for, within a space that befittingly showcased their favourite artwork and unique elements of personal self-expression. An artistic spirit is apparent throughout the home as complementary tones of blues, greys, and whites reflect and enhance the ethereal worlds depicted in their cherished art collection. Art is just one of the passions of this family, who also required a kitchen suited to their love of cooking. Vast counter space with high-end finishes and substantial storage in the form of elegant cabinetry frame the centrepiece – a beautifully anachronistic oven imported from France. With its pastel cerulean colour, the range draws the eye and evokes the homeowners’ artistic sensibilities. Similar pops of blue infuse the rest of the home with this cool worldliness, from the refinished bathroom with its walk-in closet, to the décor surrounding the stonework fireplace. This domestic composition is one which could surely fit in alongside our clients’ collection.

A complete remodel of this entire home provided the flow and functionality our clients hoped for, within a space that befittingly showcased their favourite artwork and unique elements of personal self-expression. An artistic spirit is apparent throughout the home as complementary tones of blues, greys, and whites reflect and enhance the ethereal worlds depicted in their cherished art collection. Art is just one of the passions of this family, who also required a kitchen suited to their love of cooking. Vast counter space with high-end finishes and substantial storage in the form of elegant cabinetry frame the centrepiece – a beautifully anachronistic oven imported from France. With its pastel cerulean colour, the range draws the eye and evokes the homeowners’ artistic sensibilities. Similar pops of blue infuse the rest of the home with this cool worldliness, from the refinished bathroom with its walk-in closet, to the décor surrounding the stonework fireplace. This domestic composition is one which could surely fit in alongside our clients’ collection.

Casa A137 is harmoniously nestled on a property that borders the spring forest to the south and west, with a gentle 14m drop from its highest point. This natural topography was not a challenge but an inspiration for our architecture, guiding us to open the views towards the forest and blend seamlessly with the terrain. The project gracefully ascends from street level, ensuring the ground floor merges with the rear garden level while the upper floor offers unobstructed views of the natural landscape. We used stone materials and steel to create a sober and simple appearance for the residence. Apparent concrete has an important role in all exterior and interior areas; in the same way, the green areas visually accompany each space. The house’s gardens go hand in hand with the architecture. Several interior areas were designed to integrate vegetation, which accompanies the exterior, where the landscaped spaces that complement the facade and the side corridors are projected. For our clients, social areas were very important, especially the terrace. An important project area is destined for an outdoor terrace overlooking the forest. It comprises a kitchen area with a bar and a space for living and dining. The warmth of a fire pit accompanies it.

Set on a narrow lakefront parcel defined by tight setbacks and limited hardscape allowance, this modern cabin demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform restriction into possibility. Carefully composed to preserve privacy while opening fully toward the water, the home feels both expansive and intimate—an elevated retreat grounded in its landscape. Though modest in footprint, the residence lives generously. Four bedrooms are tucked efficiently within the plan, including a light-filled quilting studio that reflects the homeowners’ creative life. Each bedroom opens onto its own private balcony, offering moments of pause and perspective with views stretching across lake and countryside. The upper level also includes a family room, providing a quiet gathering space removed from the activity below. From here, the home’s vertical volume becomes apparent, as daylight pours down through a dramatic two-story space framed by glass facing the lake. At the center of the home, a custom steel-and-wood plank stair acts as both circulation and sculpture. Rising through the double-height volume, it leads the eye upward to a tall Nelson cigar lamp suspended above—an intentional moment of drama and delight. The main floor is designed around connection and flow. Kitchen, dining, and living areas exist as one continuous space, unified by light, views, and material warmth. A 12-foot-long island anchors the kitchen, serving as the natural gathering place for morning coffee, family meals, and summertime buffet-style entertaining. When fully opened, large folding accordion glass doors dissolve the boundary between inside and out, allowing the screened porch to become a true extension of the living space. Function is carefully layered throughout the plan. A mudroom entry from the tucked-under two-car garage includes a powder room and utility closet, while a generous entry closet provides essential storage and has been dimensioned to accommodate a future elevator. Designed intentionally for aging in place, the home incorporates zero-threshold access from the garage, wide halls and doorways, reinforced wall blocking for future grab bars, and infrastructure for a future elevator—ensuring long-term comfort without compromising design. Clad in dark painted board-and-batten siding, the exterior minimizes visual scale and allows the home to recede quietly into the landscape. Recessed balconies and façade elements are wrapped in warm wood-look siding, adding depth and contrast while bringing warmth into the interior. At night, light spills softly from within, and the cabin glows along the shoreline—welcoming, calm, and enduring.

Douglas VanderHorn Architects From grand estates, to exquisite country homes, to whole house renovations, the quality and attention to detail of a "Significant Homes" custom home is immediately apparent. Full time on-site supervision, a dedicated office staff and hand picked professional craftsmen are the team that take you from groundbreaking to occupancy. Every "Significant Homes" project represents 45 years of luxury homebuilding experience, and a commitment to quality widely recognized by architects, the press and, most of all....thoroughly satisfied homeowners. Our projects have been published in Architectural Digest 6 times along with many other publications and books. Though the lion share of our work has been in Fairfield and Westchester counties, we have built homes in Palm Beach, Aspen, Maine, Nantucket and Long Island.

Douglas VanderHorn Architects From grand estates, to exquisite country homes, to whole house renovations, the quality and attention to detail of a "Significant Homes" custom home is immediately apparent. Full time on-site supervision, a dedicated office staff and hand picked professional craftsmen are the team that take you from groundbreaking to occupancy. Every "Significant Homes" project represents 45 years of luxury homebuilding experience, and a commitment to quality widely recognized by architects, the press and, most of all....thoroughly satisfied homeowners. Our projects have been published in Architectural Digest 6 times along with many other publications and books. Though the lion share of our work has been in Fairfield and Westchester counties, we have built homes in Palm Beach, Aspen, Maine, Nantucket and Long Island.

Douglas VanderHorn Architects From grand estates, to exquisite country homes, to whole house renovations, the quality and attention to detail of a "Significant Homes" custom home is immediately apparent. Full time on-site supervision, a dedicated office staff and hand picked professional craftsmen are the team that take you from groundbreaking to occupancy. Every "Significant Homes" project represents 45 years of luxury homebuilding experience, and a commitment to quality widely recognized by architects, the press and, most of all....thoroughly satisfied homeowners. Our projects have been published in Architectural Digest 6 times along with many other publications and books. Though the lion share of our work has been in Fairfield and Westchester counties, we have built homes in Palm Beach, Aspen, Maine, Nantucket and Long Island.

It was apparent by the existing condition of this pre-war Upper West Side apartment that Morpurgo Architects would need to “gut” it to make a home for our clients, a young family with two children. The homeowners requested that we convert this two-bedroom coop into a three-bedroom unit that would include two distinct living areas, one for the adults and one for the children. We took this blank slate, reconfigured the rooms, and developed a floor plan with an easy flow throughout the apartment. As a bonus, we creatively carved out a space for a small office. Our firm expanded the entry, making it a significant focal point of this home. The striking, marble foyer acts as a unifying element between the living and dining rooms and also provides a transition to the bedroom wing. From the window wall of the living room, there is a view of the entire apartment through the entry and dining room/den to the kitchen. Yet, when privacy is preferred, the dining area can be closed with beautiful pocket-glazed French Doors that enhance the entry as well. The apartment is painted with a cohesive color palette that gives it a warm golden glow.

Custom elements like mixing colors and styles of cabinetry are one of the many benefits of opting for custom cabinetry, and nowhere is that more apparent than in this kitchen.

Set on a narrow lakefront parcel defined by tight setbacks and limited hardscape allowance, this modern cabin demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform restriction into possibility. Carefully composed to preserve privacy while opening fully toward the water, the home feels both expansive and intimate—an elevated retreat grounded in its landscape. Though modest in footprint, the residence lives generously. Four bedrooms are tucked efficiently within the plan, including a light-filled quilting studio that reflects the homeowners’ creative life. Each bedroom opens onto its own private balcony, offering moments of pause and perspective with views stretching across lake and countryside. The upper level also includes a family room, providing a quiet gathering space removed from the activity below. From here, the home’s vertical volume becomes apparent, as daylight pours down through a dramatic two-story space framed by glass facing the lake. At the center of the home, a custom steel-and-wood plank stair acts as both circulation and sculpture. Rising through the double-height volume, it leads the eye upward to a tall Nelson cigar lamp suspended above—an intentional moment of drama and delight. The main floor is designed around connection and flow. Kitchen, dining, and living areas exist as one continuous space, unified by light, views, and material warmth. A 12-foot-long island anchors the kitchen, serving as the natural gathering place for morning coffee, family meals, and summertime buffet-style entertaining. When fully opened, large folding accordion glass doors dissolve the boundary between inside and out, allowing the screened porch to become a true extension of the living space. Function is carefully layered throughout the plan. A mudroom entry from the tucked-under two-car garage includes a powder room and utility closet, while a generous entry closet provides essential storage and has been dimensioned to accommodate a future elevator. Designed intentionally for aging in place, the home incorporates zero-threshold access from the garage, wide halls and doorways, reinforced wall blocking for future grab bars, and infrastructure for a future elevator—ensuring long-term comfort without compromising design. Clad in dark painted board-and-batten siding, the exterior minimizes visual scale and allows the home to recede quietly into the landscape. Recessed balconies and façade elements are wrapped in warm wood-look siding, adding depth and contrast while bringing warmth into the interior. At night, light spills softly from within, and the cabin glows along the shoreline—welcoming, calm, and enduring.

Casa A137 is harmoniously nestled on a property that borders the spring forest to the south and west, with a gentle 14m drop from its highest point. This natural topography was not a challenge but an inspiration for our architecture, guiding us to open the views towards the forest and blend seamlessly with the terrain. The project gracefully ascends from street level, ensuring the ground floor merges with the rear garden level while the upper floor offers unobstructed views of the natural landscape. We used stone materials and steel to create a sober and simple appearance for the residence. Apparent concrete has an important role in all exterior and interior areas; in the same way, the green areas visually accompany each space. The house’s gardens go hand in hand with the architecture. Several interior areas were designed to integrate vegetation, which accompanies the exterior, where the landscaped spaces that complement the facade and the side corridors are projected. For our clients, social areas were very important, especially the terrace. An important project area is destined for an outdoor terrace overlooking the forest. It comprises a kitchen area with a bar and a space for living and dining. The warmth of a fire pit accompanies it.

We are delighted to have completed the radical transformation of a tired detached property in South Croydon. When they appointed Granit, our clients were living in the property which had previously been divided into a number of flats. The historic sub-division had resulted in an extremely poor use of space with redundant staircases, kitchens and bathrooms throughout. Our clients sought to reconfigure the property back into a single dwelling for his growing family. Our client had an eye for design and was keen to balance contemporary design whilst maintaining as much of the character of the original house. Maximising natural light, space and establishing a visual and physical connection were also key drivers for the design. Owing to the size of the property, it became apparent that reconfiguration rather than extension provided the solution to meet the brief. A metal clad ‘intervention’ was introduced to the rear facade. This created a strong horizontal element creating a visual balance with the vertical nature of the three storey gable. The metal cladding specified echoed the colour of the red brick string courses tying old with new. Slender frame sliding doors provide access and views of the large garden. The central circulation space was transformed by the introduction of a double height glazed slot wrapping up the rear facade and onto the roof. This allows daylight to permeate into the heart of the otherwise dark deep floor plan. The staircase was reconfigured into a series of landings looking down over the main void space below and out towards the tree canopies at the rear of the garden. The introduction of double pocket doors throughout the ground floor creates a series of interconnected spaces and the whitewashed Larch flooring flows seamlessly from room to room. A bold palette of colours and materials lends character and texture throughout the property. The end result is a spacious yet cosy environment for the family to inhabit for years to come.

The kitchen features a hand-hammered, copper, range hood, and hand-made ceramic tile. A closer look at the refrigerator panels highlights the ‘butterfly’ dovetails employed to join individual boards. In the hands of Jaeger & Ernst’s master cabinetmakers, such functional, woodworking details become captivating decorative elements. This celebration of traditional skills is a hallmark of the Arts & Crafts movement’s emphasis on the highest standards of craftsmanship. Trees with great age produce boards both lighter and stronger; nowhere is this more apparent than with American quarter sawn white oak. The quality of a board may determine the end uses effectiveness and durability. A good cabinet maker chooses wisely. Project: 6232.1

Set on a narrow lakefront parcel defined by tight setbacks and limited hardscape allowance, this modern cabin demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform restriction into possibility. Carefully composed to preserve privacy while opening fully toward the water, the home feels both expansive and intimate—an elevated retreat grounded in its landscape. Though modest in footprint, the residence lives generously. Four bedrooms are tucked efficiently within the plan, including a light-filled quilting studio that reflects the homeowners’ creative life. Each bedroom opens onto its own private balcony, offering moments of pause and perspective with views stretching across lake and countryside. The upper level also includes a family room, providing a quiet gathering space removed from the activity below. From here, the home’s vertical volume becomes apparent, as daylight pours down through a dramatic two-story space framed by glass facing the lake. At the center of the home, a custom steel-and-wood plank stair acts as both circulation and sculpture. Rising through the double-height volume, it leads the eye upward to a tall Nelson cigar lamp suspended above—an intentional moment of drama and delight. The main floor is designed around connection and flow. Kitchen, dining, and living areas exist as one continuous space, unified by light, views, and material warmth. A 12-foot-long island anchors the kitchen, serving as the natural gathering place for morning coffee, family meals, and summertime buffet-style entertaining. When fully opened, large folding accordion glass doors dissolve the boundary between inside and out, allowing the screened porch to become a true extension of the living space. Function is carefully layered throughout the plan. A mudroom entry from the tucked-under two-car garage includes a powder room and utility closet, while a generous entry closet provides essential storage and has been dimensioned to accommodate a future elevator. Designed intentionally for aging in place, the home incorporates zero-threshold access from the garage, wide halls and doorways, reinforced wall blocking for future grab bars, and infrastructure for a future elevator—ensuring long-term comfort without compromising design. Clad in dark painted board-and-batten siding, the exterior minimizes visual scale and allows the home to recede quietly into the landscape. Recessed balconies and façade elements are wrapped in warm wood-look siding, adding depth and contrast while bringing warmth into the interior. At night, light spills softly from within, and the cabin glows along the shoreline—welcoming, calm, and enduring.