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Houses By Design

Nantucket Timber Frame

This shingle-style, sustainable timber frame house was manufactured off-site and assembled in stages.

By Janice Rohlf Issue 326 - October 2024
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This interior designer’s own family timber frame home on Nantucket was crafted to be as energy efficient and functional as possible while at the same time showcasing interiors that express warm minimalism with a Scandinavian flair. Because of the unique conditions of building on an island, the timber frame and wall and roof panels were manufactured off-site and assembled on the seaside property in stages to minimize build time and construction costs.

Green and Clean

The timber frame is made out of Douglas fir, the wall panels are designed for low embodied carbon with wood framing and sheep’s wool insulation, and the structural insulated panels (SIPs) on the roof are insulated with GPS foam.

Adhering to a “green and clean” ethos, floors have a toxin-free soap finish, surplus flooring boards were fashioned into bespoke furniture, and the small swimming pool is the first chemical-free Bio Pool on Nantucket.

Photo fo a timber frame vaulted ceiling with white walls.
All the wood on the ceilings, the shiplap in the dining room and office, and the trusses and rafters are fir that received a flat finish before arriving on the island. Since it’s a four-season home, the light woods, soft finishes, and honed stone contribute to interior spaces that are as aesthetically appropriate in summer as in winter.

The effect is minimalist without being cold and stark-looking. A smaller cottage on the property, where the family lived for years before building this house, was moved to a new foundation in the backyard and converted into housing for seasonal employees at the couple’s island restaurant.

Architect

New Energy Works

Interior Design

Eliza Alles Interiors

Builder

LithCon, Inc.
774-810-0100

Timber / Frame Enclosure

New Energy Works

Location

Nantucket, Mass.

Photos

Matt Kisiday

— Written and curated by Janice Rohlf

From Fine Homebuilding #326

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