BLUFFBOG

Black granite counters top fir cabinets, and are accented by walnut open shelving in the new kitchen. The pendants are by Visual Comfort.

An aerial shot of the property showing the house nestled in a clearing. The dense wooded surroundings inspired the couple to prioritize exterior views in the home’s design

A Kennebunk family needed their forever home, and the old farmhouse and barn that stood on their property wasn't going to cut it. The architects at Caleb Johnson Studio started the process by salvaging everything they could from the old buildings, including the timber roof structure, interior wood cladding, and interior doors. Additionally, the architects also claimed cabinetry and fixtures from a midcentury home that was being torn down in Weston, Massachusetts. By incorporating such materials into the new home's design, they were able to create a modern farmhouse with soul.

To flip the house, they eliminated the second story, taking the ceilings high and the windows wide. To make up for the lost square footage, they added on a wing, built a separate garage with a guest apartment above it, and brought the hangout spaces to the front to capitalize on the views. "The original house had good, solid bones,” says Jennifer. “What if the whole wall was windows?” the homeowner asked, and that certainly worked—sunlight pours in through entire house from the front floor to ceiling window wall.

New Sunporch added.

The 1,800-square-foot barn and workshop was designed by architect friend Yianni Doulis. The exterior employs untreated cedar in a reverse board-and-batten style.

Competition: Modern Farmhouse

A peek into the master bath.

The house has two spacious outdoor patios for entertaining.

This house has a sauna and four bedrooms, including a master bedroom on the second level that looks down onto the lake.

The original Colonial-style exterior included a few small dormers that weren’t large enough to maximize views or welcome natural light into the home. To fix this, Michael installed a series of new ones. Made of standing seam aluminum, they're designed to evoke the feel of local barn windows with a slightly modern twist.