Designer Joe Eisner and remodeler Michael Amnon transformed a dr…
Designer Joe Eisner and remodeler Michael Amnon transformed a dreary basement into a light-filled family hub, adding a home office, gym, bar and lounge, guest bedroom, bathroom, storage, and large play area to this Westchester County, N.Y., home.
Steven Mays Photography
The bar and lounge area. All specified products, construction ma…
The bar and lounge area. All specified products, construction materials, and finishes are low or zero voc with typically high recycled content.
Steven Mays Photography
The most important architectural decisions were subtractive, the…
The most important architectural decisions were subtractive, the designer says. Here, Eisner removed a portion of the first floor to create a double-height atrium space. The new stairwell connects the main living floor with the basement level, which now receives ample natural light.
Steven Mays Photography
The double-sided/double-height bamboo paneled wall acts as a new…
The double-sided/double-height bamboo paneled wall acts as a new vertical focal point to what was a generic house layout.
Steven Mays Photography
This before and after shot shows how the designer opened the fou…
This before and after shot shows how the designer opened the foundation wall to take advantage of the rear elevation's walk out potential. A bluestone patio lies beyond the sliding glass doors.
Location: Ardsley, N.Y.
Contractor: Michael Amnon, ID Renovation Solution, New York
Designer Joe Eisner transformed a drab, dreary basement into a light-filled hub in this suburban Manhattan remodel.
The most important architectural decisions, says Eisner, were subtractive — removing rather than adding elements. For example, the design included the removal of a portion of the first floor to create a double-height atrium, complete with a double-sided/double-height bamboo-paneled wall that acts as a vertical focal point in what was an otherwise generic house layout. These elements allow the basement level to be a viable living space connected to the main floor.
The rest of the basement level includes a den, a home office, a guest room, a bar, and a workout room with windows overlooking an inviting, colorful children’s play area. To take advantage of the walk-out potential, the design includes a new glazed wall with sliding glass doors that open out to a bluestone patio and backyard.
The judges loved the light in the space and found the design “animated, inviting, and playful.”
