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Nestled within the town of Greenwich, CT, sits a home with a story. The winding country roads that connect the many neighborhoods of this affluent "Gold Coast" town are rich with history, as the homes tell a tale of old architecture coupled with modern living. It was this concept that architect Ralph Mackin and his team at Mackin Architects focused on when designing this beautiful and detail-rich gambrel Shingle-style home.
Mackin Architects specializes in high-end residential architecture, but the firm also integrates seamlessly with the community by creating its churches and clubs. "It's a natural extension of our firm," he says. "If you design residental architecture, you're learning how people live. You're bringing those thoughts into the other buildings—it makes people feel like they belong in those buildings."
What was originally a contemporary house was rebuilt in 1999 and 2000 as a shingle-style house by architect Ralph Mackin. Almost 20 years later, the homeowners, who are now empty nesters, wanted a refresh. They re-enlisted Mackin as the architect on the project, and he brought in Kathleen Walsh to do the interiors. Working together, they created a new, more functional layout for the first floor that lends itself well to entertaining and a beautiful interior perfect for 2019 and beyond.
Mr. Mackin and Mr. Platt both approached the library in such an inventive manner. The ceiling is unexpected (and brilliant), and the furnishings are current and classic at the same time.
How does a designer create interiors for a historic house that are apparently of the period, yet still possess a contemporary flavor? That was the dilemma posed by this private estate, located on 125 magnificent Hudson Valley acres near West Point.
When the couple purchased a historic estate in the Hudson Valley, they did so with every intention of restoring, renovating and expanding the original 1908 house. But then came the opportunity to acquire the rest of the hill it was on, including a plateau at the crest that afforded panoramic meadow, mountain and river views.
When a North Salem architect and a Manhattan interior designer collaborate on a Dutch Colonial in Rye, the modern and the classic blend into a seamless symphony of style. This new home, designed by Ralph R. Mackin Jr. of Mackin Architects in North Salem, was built for a family of five with three young children. It is 6,500 square feet, with five bedrooms, six bathrooms, and two half-baths.
“In this charming Queen Anne summer house, a kitchen and master bedroom suite were added on without disrupting the grace of the rest of the house, which wisely retains its late-nineteenth-century dimensions.”
Winner of the Best Bath in the 2012 Westchester Home Design Awards.
For architect Ralph R. Mackin, Jr., “cabin fever” hit early. But his wasn’t your classic case of frustration at being cooped up indoors. His was a case of feverish enthusiasm for rustic cabin-style buildings that he admired during boyhood hiking and camping trips while summering with his parents in the Adirondack Park.
“People want to feel like they are entering a resort where they would be pampered. There’s more room and it’s spacious.”
Tradition is always evolving. By reaching into the past, we create the future. Today’s homeowners are highly educated and confident about mixing styles. Even committed traditionalists, however, are eager to make their homes more comfortable by incorporating sophisticated technology.
Having completed several renovations during the 21 years they lived in their Village Colonial, the Walkers had been impressed by a recent addition to the Fellowship Hall at St. Matthews. Designed by Ralph R. Mackin Architects and built by DPD Builders, the final product spoke volumes about the team’s attention to detail.
Asked about his approach to design, Ralph said, “When it comes to renovations, we try to make it look as if we’d never been there. We can change the total look of a house or enhance what was there in a way that looks organic, which is what we did at the Rodgers’.
When the clients called on architect Ralph Mackin to build a carriage house near the pool that sits on their four-acre Bedford property, they wanted their stand-alone addition to reflect their passion for Craftsman style, famous for its emphasis on simplicity, craftsmanship, sparse ornamentation, and the use of high-end materials.