An Indoor Pool is the Centerpiece of This Sleek Mamaroneck Home
A house on the coast of Long Island Sound reflects the water and basks in the light.
Floor-to-ceiling sliders open from the indoor pool to Long Island Sound beyond. Photography by Rikki Snyder
Water is everywhere at this new house in Mamaroneck, from its indoor pool to its perch on the edge of Long Island Sound. Architect Cindy Stoll and interior decorator Kerry Delrose lend some insight on how the spectacular site dictated their design decisions.
C&G: Had each of you worked with the homeowners before?
Cindy Stoll (architect, founding partner of the New Rochelle–based firm Stoll & Stoll): I had done a small renovation for them on the same lot, a 1950s-era ranch house with a Japanese feel to it. Once that work was done, and after the clients had figured out what kind of new house they wanted, I came on board again.
Kerry Delrose (decorator, founder of New York–based Delrose Design Group): The homeowners are first-time clients of mine. They had called my office after seeing one of our projects published in NYC&G—an apartment on the 38th floor of a building on Leonard Street in Manhattan known as the “Jenga” tower.
A Mony sofa from Lazzoni takes center stage in the living room. Photography by Rikki Snyder
Long Island Sound is an undeniable force to be reckoned with here. How did you respond to a site where water is the operative word?
CS: The original house had an existing indoor pool, which became the central courtyard element—we essentially designed the new house around it. The original pool was not visible from inside the old house, but now it’s visible from every room. We extended the water element further by adding an outdoor spa with an infinity edge, over which water spills to form a fountain and beyond which is the expanse of Long Island Sound.
KD: For the interiors, it was important to take cues from the blues and the grays of the water, rather than aim for shock appeal with an orange sofa. There was simply no reason to fight that view, and in this case that includes artwork. Given the expanse of windows, the house doesn’t offer much wall space for art. The Mona Lisa is the water itself.
A Lazzoni armchair and a Prospect cocktail table from Lawson-Fenning occupy a prime viewing spot in the living room. Photography by Rikki Snyder
How did you design a house that is essentially a curtain wall of glass but also imbue it with real architectural presence?
CS: We often referenced the Japanese aura of the former house, which the clients had lived in and liked. Horizontal bandings visually hold the house together on the rear side, which faces the water, and bands of copper along the roof, articulated railings, and stone columns are also crucial. The indoor pool is topped with a clerestory, which not only brings in light, but also serves as a strong architectural gesture, rising higher than the roofline of the rest of the house. And a three-story stone wall supports the stairway—it’s essentially a three-dimensional block rising up through the house.
The spa pool has water views. Photography by Rikki Snyder
What sort of design challenges did you face on a site where not only the seasons change, but the water and light can vary every day and even every hour?
KD: The clients and I talked a lot about how the light and the seasons define the experience of being in these rooms. We started with what I call “the point of origin”: namely, from the ground up. We chose Stark carpets and built from there, focusing on soothing, calming colors.
CS: The clients use the water sources year-round, by the way—no matter the temperature or the season. They’re in the water every day, whether it’s the indoor pool or the outdoor spa a few steps away.
In the primary bedroom, armchairs and an ottoman from A Rudin are covered in an Edelman leather. Photography by Rikki Snyder
Is it possible in a structure like this to tire of water views? They are always there, after all.
KD: You have to love the water, and they certainly do. But there are ways to temper that and make the interiors stand on their own. We included ambient lighting elements, such as a Noguchi sculpture in the primary bedroom and super-sexy glass globe lights in the dining room that are set at different heights. The furniture in the bedroom feels akin to a comfy suite at the Carlyle Hotel, with chairs set in front of the fireplace and the bed facing them, instead of the water directly. And privacy was a concern from the start, since the indoor pool is so prevalent and all the bedrooms are visible from floor-to-ceiling windows. The solution: motorized shades!
The print version of this article appeared with the headline: Shimmery Stunner.
