A wall of floor-to-ceiling glass brings a strong sense of the outdoors into the open-plan living room.
"We didn't want to diminish the openness and height and feeling of a great expanse of space," said the owner of this resurrected 19th-century barn house in Pine Plains, New York. Fortunately, the barn frame's horizontal beams perform a domestic function by creating the illusion of a lower ceiling. An abundance of furnishings in rich materials fills out the space. Photo by Raimund Koch.
The old barn's foundation, re-stacked by a local stonemason, was reused as a rustic retaining wall for the pool area. The property also came with a corn crib and blacksmith shop as old as the barn, seen behind the pool, which are both used for storage now. St. Tropez chaises from Kingsley-Bate line the pool.
The homeowners needed a kitchen that could hold the 20 or so friends and family members they usually host on holidays and reunions. The kitchen island—which features a countertop of recycled paper and cement from Squak Mountain Stone—can easily accommodate plenty of Tolix aluminum bar stools. Custom Douglas fir cabinetry frames a Miele dishwasher, Sub Zero refrigerator, Blanco sink, and a Wolf oven with a Vent-A-Hood overhead.
From red painted cedar siding to no-fuss structural elements, Northworks’ solution reaches a happy medium between the classic barn look and a weekend retreat. “The best thing about this house,” explains one resident, “is that when it’s just the four of us, it feels cozy. But even when we’re hosting 25 people, it never feels crowded.”
The Floating Farmhouse’s semitransparent addition has a roofline that matches the pitch of the original 1820s farmhouse. A porch, tucked under the side eaves, is cantilevered over a stream that runs through the property. Ikea loungers are illuminated from the interior by commercial gymnasium lights repurposed as pendant lamps.
"Lighting was orchestrated to move with the time of day, so that as the sun sets, the outside would be felt," says Peace.
In the open-plan living area, one of the highlights is the natural light-filled kitchen from Italian manufacturer Armony.
Even the shower embraces the neutral palette.
view of great room from hallway
great room
view of dining area from kitchen
A natural backdrop provides a focal point for this newly built residence in Fargo, North Dakota. Designed by Peterssen/Keller Architecture, with interior work by Martha Dayton Design, the multi-gabled structure features a facade of white stucco and stone, along with contrasting dark stained tongue-and groove cedar cladding and standing-seam metal roofs.
On the valley side, the terrace steps down as a series of wide bleachers that double as casual seating for enjoying the scenery. The plan also sets the railings below the main floor, so that the interior offers unobstructed views of the landscape.
The master bedroom is tucked at one end of the house’s long plan, and it shares valley views with the living room.
Aside from the natural light, the master bedroom is illuminated simply with a graphic Mobile Chandelier No.2 from Michael Anastassiades and a Bellhop table lamp from Flos. These accompany a Cove bed from Design Within Reach, a Harlosh bedside table from Pinch Design, a Colonial armchair from Carl Hansen & Søn, and a rug from Calvin Klein Home.
Found on-site and retained, a boulder juxtaposes with the building’s crisp lines.
Ledge House site plan
Scott Pitek designed this gabled structure for Betty Rahman on a 5,000-square-foot lot in Portland, Oregon.