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Andrew
Bordwin
My wife and l live in a 1919 center-hall Colonial
house in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. With three stories, five
bedrooms, a sensible and well-flowing layout, and a position on
the lot that allows us to take full advantage of garden and play
space, we knew that this house had everything we were looking for. The
kitchen, however, was another story. While it still had the
original butler’s pantry, it lacked any real place to put ovens,
a stove, a refrigerator, or cabinet and counter space. In
addition, there was no bathroom on the first floor, and we wanted
to solve that problem as well. Though we didn't want to lose the
butler's pantry; we knew that it would need to be removed if we
wanted to make room for all this. It posed a formidable challenge.
Enter Paul Ochs. After a brief discussion
and some time with paper and pencil, he managed to solve all these
challenges with great elegance and economy. The new powder
room would allow for a refrigerator cove, as well as a wall on
which the butler's pantry shelves and counter could be mounted. In
addition, the plan called for a very spacious 18-foot counter,
more than enough storage above and below, as well as a table for
six. The revamped passage to the dining room and another
to the living room allowed for placement of double ovens as well
as a very open traffic flow. We have the services we need,
and we managed to keep the butler pantry, maintaining the original
sensibility of the house.
Paul's strength is in his experience
and his intuition. With a solid foundation in the history of architecture
and design, he treats existing structures with respect and perspective.
On site he is persistent and focused, running the job with an eye
to the owner's convenience and the worker's care. Paul understands
the needs of a busy family, and that's reflected in his design and
his manner. We cannot recommend him highly enough.
Sincerely,
Andrew Bordwin
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