One of the first challenges (and opportunities) for this project was the site itself. Once home to the local “estate,” neighboring parcels had been sold off over time leaving a “landlocked” parcel containing the original home. With over a dozen neighbors we knew siting and screening would be the key to the project’s success. Fortunately with such a large site we had some flexibility in siting the house. We let the sun’s path guide our way and faced the rear of the house almost due south. In doing so we could carved out an elegant approach to the front of the house. The approach creates a sense of arrival for guests, privacy for the homeowner, and makes the whole site feel as if it had been there for ages! The next challenge came directly from the homeowners themselves. Both were tore between traditional and more contemporary aesthetics. While their taste in art and furnishings is decidedly contemporary, they adore traditional New England architecture. The result is a blend of highly detailed traditional architecture which gradually becomes more transitional as you move from the public to more private spaces. The entry hall, for example, has an elegant curved staircase, crystal chandelier, and beamed ceilings. A “wow” factor the homeowners specifically requested. Moving towards the back of the house, the tone becomes much more transitional with an open kitchen, family and breakfast room suite. The rear wall is almost entirely glass, providing sweeping views of the sunny rear yard. The curved breakfast room with its cathedral ceiling and contemporary pendant light pushes the traditional boundary, even for the exuberant shingle style. Upstairs in the master bath, that most private space, the traditional nomenclature is abandoned entirely. The freestanding soaking tub sits in front of a floor to ceiling tile wall. Behind the wall is an open air walk-in shower filled with body sprays and rain heads.
-
The sweeping drive curves around an existing beech tree, carefully protected during construction.
-
The rear of the house opens onto a sun filled rear garden and pool
-
At night the light from the house spills out onto the rear patio and porch.
-
The traditionally styled front hall makes a grand entrance.
-
In the less formal spaces traditional details give way to the owner's modern taste.
