Old Stone House / TAKATINA LLC

Architects: TAKATINA LLC
Area: 1000 ft²
Year: 2017
Photographs: Mikiko Kikuyama
Manufacturers: PID Floors, All Modern, Dalyte, Marvin, Niche Modern, Sheffield Metals
Lead Architects: Takaaki Kawabata
Architect of Record: Peter Weed Architect
Structural Engineer: John Stinemire
Lighting Designer: Mai Kano
Country: United States

Old Stone House residential retreat, designed by an architect in the Hudson Valley, transforms a 6.6-acre mountaintop site into a compact, light-filled weekend escape for a young couple. The intervention reuses and reduces a pre-existing 2,000 sqft stone house down to a 1,000 sqft single-story volume, adding 300 sqft and a basement as part of a broader master plan. Completed as the first phase of this plan, the project preserves three original masonry walls and integrates them into a new barn-like envelope clad in standing seam metal and stained cedar. The architects contrasted the coarse regional stone with contemporary materials and emphasized transitions between old and new using anodized aluminium framing. Internally, the design centers on a loft-like living space under a 16-foot cathedral ceiling with skylights and expansive sliding doors opening to mountain views. The project combines minimal rustic finishes and modestly scaled private areas, creating a modern-rural hybrid designed for natural light and efficient living.

Old Stone House was designed as a weekend retreat for a young couple and occupies a 6.6-acre mountaintop site in the Hudson Valley. As the first phase of a larger master plan, the existing two-and-a-half-story, 2,000 sqft house was reduced to a single-story 1,000 sqft structure with a 300 sqft addition and basement. The design retained three original masonry walls and the foundation. At the client’s request, who appreciated the traditional regional stone construction, the project integrated the stonework into a new concept. A standing seam metal roof and stained cedar siding were wrapped around the preserved stone to form a barn-like volume that invites natural light and connects the interior with its surroundings.

A pronounced anodized aluminium plate frames the windows and doors, highlighting the distinction between new and old materials. The central space adopts a loft-like open plan comprising living, dining, and kitchen areas beneath a 16-foot cathedral ceiling. A 16’ x 5’ north-facing skylight diffuses daylight, while large south-facing sliding doors open to a full-length teak deck with panoramic mountain views. A double-height feature wall conceals a retractable projector screen and anchors a casual seating arrangement with a freestanding wood-burning stove. Vintage heavy iron legs support the dining table, contributing an industrial tone alongside a custom pendant light.

A new ribbon window installed in one of the existing masonry openings captures sunset views in the kitchen. The interior palette—white painted sheetrock, wire-brushed grey oak flooring, and stained exposed roof framing—introduces a subdued contrast. Shaker-style kitchen millwork finished in charcoal grey lacquer adds warmth. The new structure on the east side houses compact bedrooms and a bathroom. Ceiling framing remains exposed and painted white in the bedrooms, where carefully positioned windows bring in soft morning light. The bathroom features Carrara white marble tiles in a herringbone pattern, a custom oak vanity, and a hand-blown pendant lamp, contributing to a calm, restrained atmosphere.