Service Areas — New York
Westchester County Architecture & Interior Design
Westchester's mix of historic villages, wooded lots, and reservoir-adjacent land makes it one of the most beautiful counties to design in. LEAP works throughout Westchester — from Bronxville and Scarsdale to Chappaqua, Bedford, and Rye — on custom homes, thoughtful additions, and full-property master plans.
Designing to the land
Sloped lots, stone outcrops, mature trees, and long approach drives are Westchester specialties. We put the house where the land tells us it wants to be.
Village and hamlet approvals
Every Westchester municipality has its own Planning Board and ARB. We prepare compelling submissions and represent your project through the process.
High-performance construction
Winter is real in Westchester. We design envelopes and mechanical systems that keep bills down and comfort up without sacrificing design.
Local knowledge that shapes the work
Building regulations in Westchester County
Every Westchester municipality — from Bronxville to Bedford — maintains its own building department, planning board, and frequently an architectural review board. Larger properties can involve wetlands buffers, steep-slope permits, and stormwater plans; historic districts add another layer. We manage the full approval choreography, including planning-board presentations where site plans require them.
Neighborhoods and building stock
Our Westchester work ranges from village homes in Bronxville, Scarsdale, and Rye to wooded estates in Chappaqua, Bedford, and Pound Ridge. Village projects tend toward renovations and additions within established fabric; northern-county sites reward houses composed around land, stone, and long approaches.
Design considerations we bring
Westchester design starts with the land: rock outcrops, mature trees, slopes, and reservoir-watershed rules all shape what a site wants to hold. Add real winters, and envelope performance becomes comfort you feel daily — our high-performance detailing earns its keep every January here.
“Net-zero-ready on a real budget. Eric mapped out exactly what was worth spending on and what wasn't.”
Questions we hear from Westchester County clients
What approvals will my Westchester project need?
At minimum a building permit; commonly also architectural review for visible changes; and for larger site work, planning-board review with wetlands, slope, or stormwater components. The mix depends entirely on your municipality and parcel. We produce an approval map in week one so the path — and the timeline — is clear before design deepens.
Can you design around rock and slopes without blasting?
Usually, and the results are better for it. Stepping foundations, walk-out levels, and floor plans that follow grade turn topography into architecture while avoiding blasting's cost and risk. Where some rock removal is unavoidable, early geotechnical input keeps it minimal and priced accurately.
How do watershed rules affect projects near reservoirs?
Properties in New York City's watershed face additional review on septic, stormwater, and disturbance — administered alongside local approvals. The rules are navigable with experienced design and early engineering; they mostly reward compact, well-planned interventions, which we favor anyway.
What does a high-end Westchester renovation cost?
Substantial whole-house renovations in the county's premium villages typically run from the high hundreds per square foot upward, with site work and approvals adding real line items on complex parcels. We scope against your actual house and hamlet during feasibility — ranges beat rumors.
Planning a project in Westchester County, NY?
Book a free, no-obligation consultation with Eric Davenport, AIA, NCARB. We'll listen first, ask the right questions, and show you exactly what's possible for your home, your budget, and your site.