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Cross House Ulster County, NY
Inspired by the diminutive “Carpenter Palladio” farmhouses that were typical in the Hudson River Valley, the Cross House merges the symmetrical volumes of classical architecture with a contemporary open plan. External proportions are rigorously Albertian while the interior details are a simple evocation of Shaker architecture.
The first floor consists of living, dining, kitchen and service areas. The second floor houses three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The house is wood frame construction with gray clapboard siding.
The first floor of this home is a place for the activities of daily life. The wide-open floor plan consists of living, dining, and kitchen. Spaces between these rooms are divided primarily by the geometry of the cruciform design, rather than view obstructing internal walls. Large windows and glass doors in the dining room bring in abundant healthy natural light. The home's laundry is on this level, and is designed to double as a mudroom entry. Though the original home was built on a crawlspace foundation, the stairway was designed with the ability to add downward stairs if a basement foundation is built instead.
The second floor contains the home's three bedrooms and two full bathrooms. The master bedroom is accessed through a long, high-ceilinged walk-through dressing area with his and hers closets. This long passage adds a sense of separation and privacy to the master bedroom. Cathedral ceilings and double French doors leading to a small private balcony add to this feeling.
