Faye Williams

Modern Windsor chairs by Hay surround an oak extension table by Ethnicraft. “You flip a lever and it gets larger,” Lachapelle says. The original plan called for a center island, but the owners wanted the flexibility of a table they could also use as a prep surface. The oak cabinet behind the sofa is on casters for additional utility. “We can even use it outside,” the husband says.

The wife notes that the pattern on the concrete reminds her of a floor she once saw in Nepal.

Bovee and Kirkpatrick eat at the table he designed. The cooktop, oven, and dishwasher are by Bosch; Bren Reis of Earthbound industries made the cabinets.

Hess combined a John Boos butcher-block table with a piece carved by local wood sculptor Vince Skelly to create a sculptural kitchen island. "As soon as [Skelly] brought that in there, [Charlie and Todd's] little daughter hopped up on it and owned it. So, that's where she hangs out in the kitchen," says Hess.

My Neighbor Totoro

The Invisacook induction range sits beneath the porcelain countertops, giving the couple, who love to cook together, a few extra feet of prep space. The architects removed the original hinges on the cabinets, replacing them with a hidden version that modernizes the look.

Oak cabinetry and reclaimed Corian counters provide rich textures in the sunlight-filled kitchen.

Floor Plan of Sol by Perpetually Devastated

The house's modest footprint and small detached garage left room for an inviting backyard stocked with drought-resistant plants.

The desk folds up and the installation swivels to pull down the bed.

A tall wooden fence borders the property, creating a peaceful and private city escape.

“Our drive to have a landscaped garden was for the kids to be able to have a space where they could adventure around the place,” says Natalie. “And part of what we enjoy is being able to sit and admire something that’s so beautiful.” They chose hardy Australian native plants to make the garden easy to maintain with minimal water.

“We had been searching for a pine with the appropriate shape for quite a long time,” says Wakebayashi of the garden’s signature planting. “Then, Mr. Nakamura strongly recommended this special pine tree to us.”

Leah placed a mirror in the kitchen side splash to extend the space and reflect natural light from the front windows.

As an artist & engineer that explores the beauty of natural objects and scenes, the homeowner tasked us with creating a building that was not precious - one that explores the essence of its raw building materials and is not afraid of expressing them as finished. We designed in opportunities for kinetic fixtures, many built by her, to allow flexibility and movement. The result is a building that compliments the casual artistic lifestyle of the occupant as part home, part work space, part gallery. The spaces are intended to be interactive, contemplative, and fun.

Floor Plan of Blatto Boat by GO'C

The walls are covered in Roman Clay in a blue ‘Lisbon’ color, from Portola Paints. “The hue of the blues was really inspired by the lake, and the surrounding nature,” says Gallois. Nordic II Bedside Tables from Ethnicraft sit besdie a Nest Bed via DWR, with VL38 Wall Lights by Louis Poulsen.

A skylight was added to bring in more light, and the existing ceilings painted Benjamin Moore ‘Black Tar’ for contrast. The island pendant is the Schoolhouse Ray 17” Pendant and the stools are the Artek Aalto High Chair K65.

The dining room features three walls with photos of current African American leaders in Durham. Its hybrid Art Nouveau/Art Deco fixture is made of brass, enamel, and glass and took about eight months to rewire, adding 12 LED bulbs.

The oak stairs and railings were built by the sisters’ carpenter father, Mikal, with the help of a contractor.

Hardwood floors line the main living areas housed on the middle level.

The team replaced the rot-damaged shed with a new shed in the existing footprint.

Local artist John Bisbee created a decorative screen out of nails for the end of the base cabinet. Stuart built the drawers using traditional wood-on-wood slides and proportionally spaced dovetails, which operate differently in summer and winter. “Those idiosyncrasies effect the way you interact with it,” Stuart notes. “The kitchen is experiential in that way.”

The perimeter countertop is made from waxed cold-rolled steel. “I like materials that get better with age; this will fill up with color,” Caleb says.

The home’s modest size meant Caleb did not have to worry too much about material and labor costs. For example, all the interior walls are done in plaster, which is three-to-four times more expensive than drywall in Maine.

“The kitchen feels like a European coffee shop,” says Kirsten. “The way they were able to open up walls and maximize views was really exciting.” Nani Maquina stone wraps the island.

Open walk-in closet

The cabin’s original raw wood was replaced with plywood throughout.

The couple’s three children were involved in the renovation process and particularly enjoyed the demolition process.