The client longed for open spaces and ample light, and this 1,500-square-foot house fulfills his wish. It is essentially one large room that features a central fireplace and that can be converted to three rooms. Two corners of the large space can be closed establish a bedroom and guest room/study. Lots of south-facing glass, shaded in summer by a huge sugar maple, allows the sun to warm the house in the winter. A semi-detached garage has a large attic and workshop, as well as heating and cooling systems.
The house is sited on a small lot facing a quiet village street, bounded on the north and south by stone walls. A stone terrace looks out on a historic New England cemetery, and landscaping consists of natural rocks on the site, Boston ground ivy, grass and several varieties of evergreens that screen adjacent properties.
Many of the materials are from the New England building vernacular: wood frame construction, cedar clapboard siding, brick and stone chimney, and oversized double-hung windows. The wood-burning stove can heat the whole house. The exterior is shades of green against natural stone walls, with chimney accents of red brick. Interior colors are warm terracotta, brick, grays, and occasional accents of plum and purple. Guestroom and bedroom walls are covered with felt to provide an acoustic dampening. Centerbrook received an award from Builder Magazine for the project.
Photography © Peter Mauss/Esto