Located in Larchmont’s historic Manor neighborhood, Willow is an elegant renovation of a 1920s stone house. SMA’s design of the building and grounds is inspired by the house’s original stonework and oak paneling. We deployed a series of slatted-wood screens, oak paneling and reeding (thin strips of vertical wood) to unify the interior spaces. An L-shaped stone wall and planters knit together the outdoor pool, terrace, and pool pavilion. The design team included Kacy Ellis Design and IQ Landscape Architects.

The original house, a modest two-story structure, underwent a prior renovation that doubled its size (to almost 7,300 feet). In the process, the interior spaces and their connection to each other became jumbled and confused. Our challenge was to bring unity and coherence to the house, and make it an inviting home for a young family. SMA accomplished this by designing a series of screens and paneling to frame and articulate the front stair hall, mudroom, pantry, and kitchen spaces. New large axial openings create a graceful enfilade of living room, dining room, wet bar area, kitchen and great room. The original stonework of the house was strategically exposed to help delineate travel routes and to define the new and old parts of the house. SMA developed a subtle, warm palette of woods and stone with Kacy Ellis Design that unify the house. Oak is used throughout the ground floor, in the flooring, paneling, slats, and reeding. The core of the kitchen has oak-reeded cabinets and a white marble island, with dark blue cabinets along the periphery.

On the second floor, a bedroom corridor runs the length of the house, with stairs at either end. The front stair hall is defined by a screen of oak wood slats separating the stair from the primary sitting room/office. At the back of the house, a floating staircase with metal railings connects the house’s three floors. The top floor is given over to play and workout, with playroom, arts and crafts room, and gym.

The backyard is defined by a series of built elements: pool pavilion, outdoor kitchen, terrace and swimming pool. They run along the south side like garden follies. An L-shaped stone wall mediates between grade changes—and planters help unify the design.