rom the very beginning, this project in
Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., was unique, says Dan
Contelmo, Daniel Contelmo Architects,
Poughkeepsie, N.Y. e homeowners were
looking to refinish the interior of their
newly purchased home to fit their life-
style and design preferences before moving into it. e
husband opted to take on the role of general contractor
for the project himself; this decision minimized costs
and created an atypical working situation for Contelmo.
"My role wasn't standard because typically we will de-
sign the entire project and do a complete set of construc-
tion drawings from the start so that every finish is selected,
all the built-ins and millwork have been detailed, and
then it would go out to bid. In this case, [the homeowner/
general contractor] was asking for information upfront so
the builder could get started and then we would continue
to add information as the project progressed," he explains.
"We tried to provide the first batch of information within
a month, and that was enough to get the builder to start
demolition and do some basic framing. en, a month
later we gave them more information. At that point, we
knew the project was probably going on for at least a year.
We were still being asked to provide information about
stair details and built-ins in their office throughout the
construction process."
Despite his continued role in the project (which contin-
ues even now), Contelmo indicates that the homeowners
stayed consistent with their design preferences, making
it easier to pick the project back up when the next stages
needed work. "ey knew what they wanted — they
wanted something that would expose a lot of woodwork.
ey like quarter-sawn oak and wanted it to have a rich
stain, and then blend it with the black iron accents," he
Rewarding from
All Angles
Owners of a split-level home sought to refinish the
home's interior, but level changes and angled walls
presented challenges along the way
By Kacey Larsen
MASTER DESIGN AWARDS 2016 | GOLD
WHOLE HOUSE $300,000–$700,000
PROJECT INFORMATION
Daniel Contelmo Architects
Poughkeepsie, N.Y.,
dtdarchitects.com
Project name:
Dobbs Ferry Interior
Project location:
Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
Square footage: 3,271
Project cost: $280,000
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Interior doors: Homestead
doors in white oak
Kitchen & bath cabinetry:
JEM Woodworking, custom
Range: Viking, 5 Series Range
Exhaust hood: Fire and Ice
Sculpture, custom
Oven: Whirlpool
F
QualifiedRemodeler.com QR October 2016 21
PROJECTS: Design Solutions