When Dana and Jay Vasser bought a midcentury-modern house in Pelham Manor, N.Y., in Westchester County, they figured they might renovate it — at some point.
Then the majestic pine tree that towered over the house came crashing down on top of it during a storm in the spring of 2018, and the Vassers found themselves forced into a construction project they hadn’t planned on.
“It was about a 100-foot-tall pine tree in our front yard, and the trunk just snapped about 15 feet up, and it fell directly across the house,” said Mr. Vasser, 40, who works in finance.
ESKW/Architects, the low-slung rectangular box of a house had many elements the Vassers liked, including plenty of natural light, a spacious living room and wood ceilings supported by hefty exposed beams. When the couple began interviewing architects for the renovation, they were surprised that many wanted to erase those original details.
Specht Architects, who understood the home’s merits and suggested a more nuanced approach.
“It was an interesting proposition, this house,” Mr. Specht said, noting that it had already been modified and embellished in awkward ways over the years. “It had some great qualities and features to it, but there were also elements that had deteriorated beyond repair.”
And there were other experimental features, he said “like using jalousie windows” — made from glass louvers — “which are great for a warm climate but not so good in the Northeast.”
With the goal of maintaining the home’s original spirit while updating it for energy efficiency and a more contemporary way of living, Mr. Specht got to work. In consultation with the Vassers, he decided to retain the original footprint, but to create more space by enclosing an outdoor patio previously underneath the back deck to expand the walkout basement, bringing the size of the house up to about 3,850 square feet. The previously unfinished basement now contains a guest suite, a study, a gym and a den with a golf simulator for Mr. Vasser, an avid golfer.