Finger Lakes
Skaneateles Cliffside Houses
Location: Skaneateles Lake, NY
First Grandma bought a small cottage. Dad went to Cornell in Ithaca. The family moved to San Diego. Later Mom and Dad renovated and added to a lakeside house nearby as a place to return to upstate New York. Then a son and daughter in law bought a house two lots north. That house was lost to a winter fire caused an electrical line falling during a storm. They built a timber framed house while replicating the large decks and porches found on the previous house. After a few years, the daughter built her own timber framed home – also with large decks and porches. The extended family returns from California every summer to celebrate a beautiful lake.
Timber Frame by: New Energy Works
Photography by: Don Cochran
Nittany Lion on the Lake
Location: Conesus Lake, NY
After many summers of enjoying a cozy and private cottage, the homeowners decided to start fresh and build their dream home from scratch. Using the existing foundation with several small additions, we tore down the existing cottage and built a new home with three full stories that makes the most of a modest lakefront footprint. The open first floor plan and second floor balcony allow for beautiful lakeside views during sunset. Being devoted Penn State University football fans, the owners chose a color and design theme centered around Nittany Lion blue and white. Custom cabinetry and lighting from local designers add beauty to the functional and family-oriented layout.
Interior Photography by: John Altobello
Cabinets/vanities/built-ins by: Tim Wahl - Village Woodworks
Lighting by: Illuminating Expressions
Landscaping and outdoor living by: Josh Landscape Co.
Lake Windermere Inspired
Location: Canandaigua Lake, NY
The living room of this gracious home is inspired by Broadleys, a home designed by C.F.A. Voysey and completed in 1900 on Lake Windermere in Cumbria, England. It also features a vehicular breezeway between the house and the garage to allow good access to the lake from the street side.
Photography by: Don Cochran
Interiors by: Jake Oukes at Grayson Oukes Interiors
Contemporary Cottage
Location: Canandaigua Lake, NY
A diagonal view from the front door to the lakeside patio door organizes an open floor plan. The house is clad in a crisp fiber cement panel system. The owners have exchanged waterfront Erie Canal views for Canandaigua Lake views.
Photography by: Bill Schmitt
Lake Ontario Corner
Location: Lake Ontario, NY
This house replaced a 1950’s raised ranch. It is designed in an L shaped plan to gracefully address two streets that form the corner lot. The north wing is capped by a covered porch which is the initial view on the approach to the house from the street. The east wing features a welcoming entry porch and the garage. The inside elbow of the plan creates a private yard for a patio and pool. On the roof at the intersection of the two wings is a sunspace with 360-degree views.
Photography by: Don Cochran
Interior Design by: Schwab Design Build
A New Greek Revival on Lake Ontario
Location: Lake Ontario, NY
The house is designed to pay homage to the thousands of Greek Revival buildings in upstate New York. The front elevation and rooms are meticulously detailed following traditional residential architecture of the Greek Revival era. The back however features a timber framed two story glass filled living room facing Lake Ontario.
The Great Outdoors Retreat
Location: Keuka Lake, NY
The international trend that is sweeping across the globe, known as glamping, has reached Keuka Lake. This original 1950’s cottage was fully renovated and designed by our team for its guests to relax among mother nature without sacrificing luxury. This new form of travel transpires into the architectural details that our team developed. Multiple bunk beds accommodates larger parties, reading nooks encourage a guest to curl up in a good book, and when it is time to watch the sunset, the hanging bed in the screen porch is the perfect oasis. In the home’s past, a timber frame porch was designed by New Energy Works that outlines the beautify of Keuka Lake.
Photography by: Don Cochran
Interiors by: Beth Santa
The Boathouse
Location: Canandaigua Lake, NY
We were asked to design a traditional lake front structure to store boats and serve as a guest house. Design inspiration was found in the details of the building owner’s Hacker Craft mahogany boat and boat houses found on Lake George and other upstate New York lakes. Its location allows it to act as a “gate house” to a residence yet to be built. It is built into a hillside to allow at grade entry for each level. A raised side entry allows a top view of the boat similar to the view one would have from a dock.
Timber Frame by: New Energy Works
Blue Windows
Location: Keuka Lake, NY
The existing cottage was almost just right; but, in the end the best thing to do was to take it down, save the Douglas Fir flooring and beadboard, and re-create it with a few improvements. The new cottage maintains the 4 season lake side porch and hip roof. The improvements include adding a walk-out habitable basement and tilting the house a bit to the southwest to look down the lake.
Landscape Design by: Mary Scipioni, RLA
Crooked House for a Crooked Lake
Location: Keuka Lake, NY
This property presented us with a unique challenge with a natural stream bed running directly through the building lot. We partnered with Mary Scipioni, RLA to install a new culvert under the public road and re-position the stream on the property. The result is a house that is "crooked" on the lot, but faces southeast for beautiful lake views. If you are interested in renting this property for a vacation getaway, select this link to contact Finger Lakes Premier Properties.
Lake Ontario Residential Re-Birth
Location: Lake Ontario, NY
The client bought this house because of its location on Lake Ontario in the City of Rochester. The 1952 built house was faded and didn’t feature the great views of the lake. After eight years the owners decided to update home. The interiors were opened up by removing bearing walls. The lakeside living space was expanded with a large deck abutting the existing porch. The house was given curb appeal with a masonry tower built next to the entry door to break up the horizontal lines of the old house.
Kitchens by: Bryce & Doyle
Photography by: Don Cochran
Shingle Style on the Water
Location: Canandaigua Lake, NY
A property on the south side of a point affords an amazing view to the hills around Naples. The great room features a curving wall of glass that reaches out to the lake. Upstairs bedrooms step out to balconies.