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The renovation brings openness and airiness to the interior while retaining the traditional exterior. “It’s an honest house,” says Clementina Ruggieri, cofounder, with Michele Busiri Vici, of Space4Architecture. White walls, wood floors, and plywood detailing keep the house modest in budget and appearance.

To make the interior feel more spacious, the architects opened the ceilings to create a double height space. They clad everything above eight feet, the original ceiling height, in plywood to maintain a human scale and the house’s original proportions. The sofa is from Hay, the Tokyo chaise lounge is from a now-closed Bellport vintage shop, the coffee tables are by Giotto Stoppino, produced by Kartell 1950s and 1960s, and the yellow chair, inspired by Pierre Paulin, was a find at Wright Auctions. Lisa painted the artwork on the mantel.

Antique drills are the decorating motif of choice in the main bedroom, which features two sliding glass doors and an en suite bathroom.

A staircase off the children's bunk room leads to the upstairs loft.

In Englishman Bay, Maine, where his relatives have summered since the 19th century, a musician builds an idyllic hideaway for his family and their three parrots. In late 2015, the musician and his wife asked Whitten Architects and Nate Holyoke Builders (in Portland and Holden, respectively) for a durable, minimalist home, simultaneously rustic and Scandinavian, that would sit lightly on the land and make use of local materials whenever possible. A board-formed concrete hearth by Harkins Masonry, which can also act as seating, has a monumental presence in the three-season porch, which holds the dining and living areas.

Ogawa Green Tile by Heath Ceramics covers the walls and floors. When the couple's existing tile stash wasn't enough coverage, the team was able to special order more to match.

“We created this patchwork, not just on the facade but also in the interiors, because we needed to down the light,” says Noguera. “All these horizontal elements between the columns start working as a shading system, like louvers.”

“We wanted something cozy with nooks, where you can be aware of what’s going on elsewhere,” says Isabel of the floor-to-ceiling shelving units. “They separate the environment, and cut the light a bit, but you can still see what’s happening in other spaces,” adds Matías.

The guest loft features a bed from West Elm and custom plywood casework by Kansas City artisan Haynes Nichols.

“The process was so amazing because they trusted us so much and did not push for changes. They were willing to hear the vision, and it was such an opportunity to make a mark and show the kind of bold design we want to be doing,” says Rose.

The new, stepped decks run the length of the house, visually and physically connecting both sides of the building.

“The goal was to look at things from 500, 700, 800 years ago that are still useful,” says homeowner Wes Crouch. “Simple, purposeful spaces will always be in style.”

“Color-blocking all four walls make this zone feel like it has its own identity,” says Sundius. “It’s a bit of luxury in 420 square feet.”