Transforming A Century-Old Colonial
CREATING A SAFER AND MORE EFFICIENT LIVING SPACE DOESN’T HAVE TO SIGNIFY LOSS OR A LESS FULFILLING LIFE. ONE RECENTLY TRANSFORMED HOME ILLUSTRATES THIS BEAUTIFULLY.
The widowed homeowner, who had raised her family in Pittsford, New York, sought a welcoming home for her golden years with plenty of ground-level living space. In May 2023 she bought a two-story, four-bedroom, century-old colonial in an established neighborhood not far from her previous house.
Design Resources
It required extensive renovations to meet her vision of first-floor living in an updated decor, combined with ample space for entertaining and overnight visitors, including children and grandchildren.
This vision came to fruition through the creative work of interior designer Meaghan Larrabee, architect Jim Fahy, president of James Fahy Design Associates, and Mark Bayer, founder and principal of Bayer Landscape Associates. They transformed the original 1920 house into one with an expansive first-floor master suite, a four-season room, an updated kitchen, and an inviting outdoor space surrounding a large in-ground pool. The work began in November 2023 and by January 2025, it was ready to move in.
DiRisio Builders worked with the design team to bring the concepts to reality. Other collaborators on the project included Design Pool & Spa, of Fairport, New York, and Tile Wholesalers of Rochester.
“She wanted a new place that felt lighter and was closer to family,” explained Larrabee, who is the homeowner’s daughter-in-law.
Fahy, a long-established Rochester architect, converted a large garage located in the back of the house into a luxurious first-floor master suite replete with a stucco gas fireplace, vaulted coffered ceilings, and a bathroom with a marble shower. And right off the bedroom is a private patio with a hot tub.
Fahy also designed a four-season room from a screenedin porch that is flooded with natural light and makes the perfect spot for the homeowner’s quilting projects. To add more accessible and efficient space, a small pocket office was transformed into a first-floor laundry room. The team also added a mudroom and service hallway between the new courtyard garage and the house.
The Bayer firm designed all the landscaping in the front and back, including several trees and bushes, hundreds of flowers, and a large in-ground pool. Fahy designed a pool cabana to accommodate sunbathing days as well as a lovely outdoor eating area.
In addition to reconfiguring new rooms, Fahy and Larrabee worked to create a more open and airy space throughout.
“As a typical classic early 20th-century home, the floor plan was very compartmentalized,” Fahy said. Our renovation plans created a more open, inviting, and bright living space on the ground floor.”
“It’s an eclectic combination of finishes that ties in well together,” Larrabee said, noting that the homeowner loves to entertain and wanted an open concept space that is also inviting. “We talked a lot about colors and finishes to make it homey.”
They chose Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee for the walls on the entire first floor and light sconces around the family room fireplace.
Larrabee also outfitted the first floor in new furniture, which includes white couches, leather swivel chairs, and a dining room set.
“It’s a very traditional house and we didn’t want it to feel too modern,” she said.
Likewise, despite the updates to the structure, Fahy said they made a point of maintaining the traditional character of the house.
“We wanted to maintain the exterior of the home, including the new courtyard and garage, in harmony with the existing architectural style and appointments, right down to the uniquely detailed shutters,” he said. “If you didn’t know the neighborhood, you would think this renovated house was the original.”