Art has a way of bringing people together in various forms. In this case, it was through dance, where Svetlana and Alan met and with their love of the 'Tango' they were able to bring a home of their dreams to life. Titled, 'Tango House,' the homeowners say it was a project years in the making. Beauty of course takes time, but their vision was brought to life with various designers involved in the process.
"Watching this home grow from a blurry concept to the dream house we wake up to each morning has been one of the most exciting processes I’ve been involved with. It involved weekly team meetings for five years," said Svetlana.
One of the firms brought on board to make that vision possible was Carol Kurth Architecture + Interiors, an award-winning integrated full-service architecture and interior design firm located in Bedford, New York. Their role in bringing Tango House to life was the architect for the design of the project, and architect of record. The project consisted of a main home, pool house, pool, vegetable garden, chicken dome and many specialty spaces throughout such as the Tango studio and indoor pool, to highlight a few.
"A farm-to-table lifestyle was a thoughtful aspect to the project. Our client is an avid naturalist, as well as a fabulous cook, and combining her love of gardening with a passion for the outdoors was a fun and exciting design parameter," said Kurth. A mix of architecture can be seen throughout the property but ties together in a breathtaking way, creating a personal oasis for the homeowners. That was critical in the design process.
"We set out to achieve an indoor/outdoor sanctuary focused on connectivity to nature and the site, and create a symbiotic relationship with the architecture and the landscape," explained Kurth. One of their exciting challenges was creating an eco-friendly home, something imperative for the homeowners. The team had to conduct extensive research to make this all possible. "Research included extensive exploration beyond reading, travel to see examples of products in use and attending lectures at the Audubon Society to learn more about birds and bird glass, as well as having samples of materials made to see their interaction with the environment over time," Kurth told us.
"I asked our landscape architect for a design with minimal lawn and a diversity of native plants that could support insects and birds throughout the year. Our talented landscape design team brought this vision to life in the most delightful way, and I never tire of being outside to admire their work," homeowner Svetlana shared, "Greenwich has some great resources for those interested in learning how to garden in a way that’s healthier for the planet and for you. Check out the annual native plant sale at Greenwich Land Trust, and be sure to get there early! Waste Free Greenwich has great resources for learning about backyard composting."
Landscape Architect, Eric D. Groft was also a key asset in making Tango House become a reality. Through his team, research was conducted including learning about the history of the property.
"This area had been pasture for most of the 19th and first half of the 20th century, in fact there are remnant farm fieldstone walls that we rebuilt and gave us the inspiration for the stone pool wall. The agrarian roots of this site also gave us inspiration for the plant palette of native plants composed in a “design meadow” concept for the garden rooms around the house," said Groft.
Extensive plantings surrounding the home are hues of green, focused on texture and form. Substantial thought was given by Eric Groft, to create successive waves of seasonal blooms, white crocus in early spring, followed by white daffodils, and white wood asters in the fall creating a visual delight with the change of season. Dramatic color changes in the plantings reflect the seasons. The organic vegetable garden, geodesic dome chicken coop are connected by tree lined pathways and easy access to the greenhouse and main house, to maximize efficiency for farm-to-table living.
"The vegetable garden was a strong desire of Svetlana and fell neatly into an area that was close to the kitchen, the utilitarian part of the property and had adequate sunlight on the west side of the property. We also thinned out the high oak canopy trees to let more light in on the south side," explained Groft.
The garden proved to be symbolic for not just the homeowners, but also the numerous team members who came together to work on this project. "We all thrived from the experience of designing and building together and all of us are so proud to be part of the Tango Team," said Kurth.
Firm: Carol Kurth Architecture + Interiors
Design Team: Carol Kurth, FAIA, ASID and John Rapetti, Assoc. AIA
(914) 234-2595
carolkurtharchitects.com
Landscape Architect
Eric D. Groft, FASLA | Director/CEO
OEHME, van SWEDEN | OvS
Landscape Architecture
202.546.7575 ext. 131 | ovsla.com
"Watching this home grow from a blurry concept to the dream house we wake up to each morning has been one of the most exciting processes."