Perched along a forested hillside in the town of Somers, New York, the Clover Hill Residence is the renovation of a late 19th century masonry foundry into a private dwelling. The homeowners were interested in finding a secluded space outside of the city with a strong connection to nature. Ravi Raj Architect PLLC was hired to transform the building into a family home. Many of the original features of the foundry building, such as the thick brick walls and rough timber supports were kept by the family, features which were also retained during the new renovation. A material palette of contrasting tones and hues was chosen to accentuate the interplay between the existing masonry structure and newly defined living spaces. Natural materials such as the whitewashed plywood stair, honed marble kitchen island and charred oak slats of the loft bedroom compliment the original masonry and timber character of the foundry. In addition, all of the original single-pane windows were replaced by larger, metal-clad frames in order to let in the most amount of light. This minimalist palette also serves as a backdrop for the owner’s refined furniture collection. The owner, who leads their own still life photography studio, furnished the entire home, mixing newly bought fixtures and fittings with beautiful antique pieces passed down from their family. This collaboration between homeowner and architect resulted in a space that is both modern and bespoke, worn yet warm.
