The stone houses of Westchester’s early 20th-century neighborhoods bear a particular material honesty—their masonry pulled from the same geological bedrock as the landscape around them, their permanence a direct expression of the area’s character. Ravi Raj’s The renovation of a house in Mount Airy in Croton-on-Hudson treats this original fabric as the main thesis of the project, organizing every intervention around it, while carefully combining past and present into a coherent whole.
Local slab sourced to match the existing masonry extends and reinforces the base of the house, preserving its historic texture while subtly expanding its footprint. Instead, white lap siding wraps the upper floors, introducing a lighter, more contemporary expression that separates the new from the old without interrupting their dialogue. A 1980s addition that had previously fragmented the roofline has been completely reconstructed – its massing clarified through a new upper level, steeply pitched roof and dormers that restore a sense of formal continuity while nodding to the traditional traditions of the area.
Entering the subgrade level immediately establishes the interior palette. A foyer and adjacent floor space unfold in textured limestone floors and wood-paneled walls, grounding the experience in materials that echo the surrounding terrain. From here, circulation ascends to the main level, where a sculptural staircase—Raj’s reinterpretation of a former spiral—functions as both connective tissue and spatial anchor. Its presence is less about movement and more about orientation, framing calibrated views of the stone blocks behind the house and fostering a continuous dialogue between interior and landscape.
Curved thresholds carry this spatial logic through the design, smoothing transitions and introducing a measured rhythm between rooms. The main level unfolds from the staircase into a sequence of living spaces – galley kitchen, great room and master suite – each tied together through this tongue of subtle curvature. In the great room, a gently sloping fireplace and an arched portal over built-in seating extend the motif, balancing formal restraint with moments of permeability that open outward to the wooded area beyond.
The master suite holds the residence’s time layer within two adjacent rooms. In the bedroom, exposed original beams – painted a deep green – retain the weight and memory of the older structure, combined with a restored fireplace clad in dark soapstone. The matte density of the material enhances the sense of historical grounding. This is purposefully contrasted with the adjacent bathroom, where the hexagonal marble tile and white lacquered wood paneling add brightness and sophistication, articulating a quieter, more contemporary sensibility.
Beyond the interior, the project extends its architectural language into the landscape through a series of outdoor interventions. An elevated deck off the great room, anchored by a polished metal fireplace, and a blue patio off the kitchen with a built-in barbecue create multiple occupancy points, allowing the home to engage the space through the seasons.
Throughout, an understated palette of natural finishes—lacquered wood, honed marble, soft fabrics and custom built-ins—contribute to an ambiance that feels both timeless and purposeful. A once disparate structure is unified through material continuity, calibrated interventions and a clear architectural narrative that bridges heritage and habitation.
To view this and other projects from the studio, visit ravirajarchitect.com.
Photo courtesy of Sarah Elliott.
