Editor’s note:  This is the first article in a three-part series about a home renovation in Bronxville: Open Concept, Functional Living and Updating. This article will focus on the open concept. 

By Tisha Leung, Sweeten.com

Jul. 10, 2019:  You get married, you have a baby, you move to the suburbs. That’s the usual path. Living in a co-op in Riverdale, Sara and Mike were no exception, but they were ready.

After watching HGTV for twelve years, planning for their perfect house, they found it--the first day of looking at homes in Bronxville. 

A 2,500-square-foot 1930s Tudor checked off quite a few boxes for the duo, who have a three-year-old son and were pregnant with their second child. The architecture style had the charm and character of dark wood details on the interior. They loved the amenity-filled neighborhood with good schools within 30 minutes of the city. The price of the house landed in the sweet spot that allowed them enough budget to renovate. And it had a most coveted feature--a big, flat, private yard. 

Although it had been well maintained by the previous owners, the house had a choppy main floor, awkward layouts, and a kitchen and baths that showed their age.  

The couple’s vision? “We wanted to keep the feel of the classic Tudor but hide the modernization away,” said Sara.

Open Concept

The plan for the first floor was to remove several walls to open up the space. The single-family home felt smaller because of the layout. 

Floor plan before and after.

A new beam replaced the dividing wall and spans the length of the room, providing structural support and an architectural flourish that echoes the existing woodwork in the century-old home. An existing bedroom was also demolished, changing the path to the only bathroom on that level (you previously had to go through the bedroom to access it). 

The new kitchen includes a large center island custom designed by their contractor; it also divides the dining space and the cooking area. The counters extend fully over the stools, allowing plenty of room for legs to fit underneath. With more storage built in, features inside the cabinets include dish drawers with peg separators, swiveling corner shelves, and drawers in every cabinet, which keep daily items within reach and neatly organized.

Kitchen before the renovation

Kitchen after the renovation

Other touches add to the cooking experience: a touch faucet, a pot filler, an appliance cabinet with pull-outs and outlets. Their general contractors installed a utilitarian quartz countertop with a marble look to contrast with the custom wood island stained to match the molding throughout the house. The Dutch back door, off on one side of the kitchen, will be useful for indoor-outdoor living for the warm-weather months, taking advantage of that perfect yard.

Read about creating more functional space in Sara and Mike’s house by creating a pantry, mudroom, and powder room in the next issue of MyhometownBronxville.com. 

Sweeten is a free service that matches homeowners with vetted general contractors.

Photos courtesy Sweeten.com

Editor's note: As a public service, MyhometownBronxville publishes articles from local institutions, officeholders, and individuals. MyhometownBronxville does not fact-check statements therein, and any opinions expressed therein do not necessarily reflect the thinking of its staff.