Private Residence (1801)
Hudson Valley Region, New York

This historic Georgian style home, constructed in 1801, had been converted to a duplex in the late 1800’s and its original entryway changed dramatically. The current owner was seeking to restore the home to its original character with a single door entryway, while at the same time allowing more light into the home’s interior hall. The challenge was to satisfy her desire for light without resorting to the use of standard sidelights or a transom, neither of which would have been consistent with Georgian style architecture as practiced in the Hudson Valley region during the period of the home’s construction. Retaining historic authenticity was particularly important in this area, widely recognized for its many fine examples of 18th and 19th century homes.

Our solution was inspired by the architectural use of quoins. These are the distinctive flat stones located at the outside corners of some buildings, which are set off visually from the masonry used in the walls and occasionally constructed of wood finished to look like masonry or stone. Our research showed that substituting materials in this manner was also used as a decorative element in some Georgian entryway designs. Adopting this technique, the Hudson Valley doorway was designed according to the home’s historic lines, but creates an effect similar to transom lights and sidelights by using glass instead of stone or wood within the door’s surround. The result is an entryway that adds interior light while still speaking the original architectural language of the building.