Produced by Steed Hale / Written by Jonna Gallo Weppler
When a house has been in the family for half a century, like this one, people tend to recall it sentimentally and fondly. And while that applied to the New York City couple who owns this Germantown home now, they were ready to make changes. “The homeowners saw this as an opportunity to preserve the family’s legacy while transforming the space into something more modern and livable,” says interior design pro Michael Gilbride, founder of Michael Gilbride Design in Germantown. “The goal was to maintain the integrity of the house that the extended family remembered while making it a truly effortless, slow space to offset hectic city life.” A typical weekend agenda includes gardening, cooking, entertaining, and enjoying nature.

Trusted friends connected the couple with Gilbride, who was on board from before construction started. “We wanted the space to be bright, light, and connected to nature but without harming the environment,” he says. “Structural engineers came in to ensure the expanded deck posts wouldn’t impede the root systems of the surrounding 150-year-old trees.” These trees serve as a natural canopy during the summer and act as window treatments when the sun is at its harshest.

Also integral to the two-year transformation was incorporating modern amenities. The house had never been majorly renovated, so upgraded electricity, updated plumbing, and central air were musts. The entire floor plan was reconsidered in order to add radiant floor heating, move a staircase, expand the kitchen, enlarge bathrooms, and create a large greenhouse. Structural challenges—much of the foundation, roof, and floorboards had to be replaced—became opportunities for innovation. For instance, opting to switch from wood to heated, high-gloss concrete floors in the lower level brought a modern element and also saved money.

The living area was designed to blur the line between indoors and out, courtesy of sliding doors, multiple large windows, and a conversation-piece custom coffee table made of tree roots. Built-in storage boosted functionality while smartly hiding HVAC vents and power outlets. Gilbride leaned into indoor-outdoor textiles to make the space life-proof for dogs, kids, and accidently spilled cocktails.

The kitchen was drenched in white to create a calm, neutral backdrop for colorful Le Creuset cookware that comes out for every dinner party. Gilbride acquired the antique chandelier for a personal project but rightly suspected these homeowners would love it, so he let it go. “It was custom made for a restaurant in New York in the 1960s and was covered in yellow stains from cigarette smoke,” he recalls. “I had it painted white.” Access to the 600-square-foot greenhouse makes it easy to snip fresh herbs for cooking or cut flowers for quick arrangements.
Even though the job wrapped up in 2022, Gilbride has already been back this past year to design a hot tub patio outside the greenhouse, surrounded by the younger trees on the property. Only time will tell what the homeowners dream up next.

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