Country Estate

Part major renovation, part new construction, this exquisitely appointed country estate is a showpiece bearing little resemblance to the modest, speculative house it once was. Interior spaces were re-configured and re-finished, and the exterior underwent a total makover including new windows (sizes and locations), clapboard siding, trim details, and shake or copper roofing. The house was also expanded: a formal entry canopy was added to the front of the house, a new living room with floor-to-ceiling windows was added to the side (with a roof terrace above), and a mud room entry was added to another side along with a three-car, carriage barn-style garage and upper level study. The finish work and detailing throughout the home is exquisite and each of the spaces, particularly the additions, has a character all its own.

The study is distinguished by large, Sapili-trimmed trusses angling dramatically upward toward a central cupola. Classical pediments, fluted pilasters and layers of trimwork adorn the space and frame a grand, Paladian-style window and smaller window and door openings. Similarly detailed custom bookcases and a stone-topped bar line outside walls.

The living room is a broad, open space with windows on three sides. Each window operates in two directions–either hinged like a door or tilted like a hopper–enabling the owners to adjust the level of openness and air flow during warm months. Above the living room, a roof terrace whose railing mimics the window pattern below, connects the master suite to the outdoors and views beyond.

To the side of the house, a less formal, porch-covered entry was added, linking the main part of the house to the new garage and study. This “link” serves as the most-used entrance and has all the ingredients of a practical mud room–plenty of storage hidden behind custom cabinetry, slate floors, and a built-in window seat for boot removal.

The exterior, particularly the carriage barn, features large expanses of stone– as foundation facing, retaining walls, landscaping elements, and paving. The large walls of Corinthian granite add substance and texture to the house, and give a worthy base to the boldly-scaled barn.