James Veal and Christine Stucker, co-founders of interior design firm and architecture studio Stewart-Schäfer, embarked on a 3,000 square-foot renovation in Nyack, New York—about an hour away from New York City. “The home is tucked away in the hills and features sweeping views of the Hudson River, the pair tells us over email. “The homeowners are a young family who we have become good friends with throughout the renovation process. Their goal was to create a family friendly home environment that was also ideal for entertaining guests. They wanted the space to feel connected, cohesive, serene, and updated for today’s living.”

They describe the style as “a 1960’s California modern meets Scandinavian with Japanese undertones,” and they were cognizant of cost throughout the project. “The area price point per feet influenced our design as the client wanted the investment to be returned in the value of the home, so we were conscious of pricing in the neighborhood when designing the home.” 

They added hardwood flooring to the kitchen, matching the existing design. However, it was more or less a total overhaul. “We spent a lot of time understanding how the client wants the kitchen to function and how they spend time in the kitchen. For example, the kitchen storage is specifically designed to the clients’ needs. The stove top is built into the island to allow for social interaction and entertaining while cooking. All of the appliances were specifically designed to the cooking and hosting needs of the client,” the designers explain. 

To connect each space, they continued the millwork through the kitchen and into the family den. “The den needed to be functional for adults and the homeowners’ new baby, while being clean, contemporary, and cohesive with the design. We accomplished this with a long built in bench with storage along the window which adds style and functionality to the space. We also hid the TV behind the mill work to enable access and viewing as required.”

Surprisingly, they were able to pull off such a substantial makeover in just three months—managing the entire construction and installation of the millwork. “We have a lot of experience when it comes to finishing projects within a tight timeline. We made extra efforts to control every aspect of the renovation and planned ahead,” they conclude. “We are very conscious of long lead items and had a good grip of the logistics of the project.”

See the before & after in the slideshow.