This residential renovation entailed careful consideration of every element on site, from the boathouse on the water to the gates on the street. All were reimagined to honor and celebrate the family’s three generations in the home as well as the beauty of the environment. The old oak trees on the property had become overgrown and neglected through the years and blocked the vistas from the house to the water. These were thinned out and beautifully sculpted to provide a private, park-like atmosphere. The previously hidden house became visible from the street through a gated entrance and brick paved drive.

The house interior was dated with shag carpet, small, compartmentalized rooms, low windows, narrow passages, and dark tile throughout. The roof was raised to allow window heights to be increased, and glazing carried up into the gables to flood the interior rooms with light and open views of the tree canopy. Additions for a new primary suite, dining pavilion, and pool guest house were constructed in the same style as the home. The old, screened pool was replaced with an open, infinity-edged pool that unites the house with unimpeded views across the bay. Despite the myriads of changes to both the house and the property, the entire composition looks organic and timeless, a tribute to the past while looking forward to the future generations who will enjoy the property.