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The floor-to-ceiling windows reach 12 feet high, offering a southern exposure and looking out onto the yard.

Scott Schultz at work in his mezanine studio.

The house was designed by the duo Bridgett Shank and Megan Carter, who together make up Artifact Collaborative.

The studio and extension both take inspiration from the work of celebrated Australian architect, Glenn Murcutt. “My mother is Australian and I have lots of family in Sydney,” says homeowner Miriam Nabarro of the connection. “I’ve also spent time on residency at the Boyd Education Centre at Bundanon, which is designed by Glenn Murcutt and Kerstin Thompson, and out in the Northern Territory. I really love the way Murcutt uses light.”

The studio opens out to a large verandah, which features a six-foot-long vintage French trough sink. The creative couple use it for soaking willow prior to weaving and washing out cyanotype prints. “We had an epic search for the right sleepers for the verandah,” says Miriam. “Eventually, we found some Jarrah sleepers. Our daughter is called Jarrah and it’s an Australian timber, so it felt right.”

The new extension wraps around the existing home, creating a thoughtful dialogue between past and present, and opening the home up to the landscape and the constant song of running water. “We wanted to work sympathetically with the existing home and mill,” says homeowner Miriam Nabarro.

The existing Mill house was likely built in the 19th Century—around 1830, estimates homeowner Simon Quinn—and is attached to a 17th Century mill. “We assume it’s the same mill mentioned in the Doomsday Book,” says Quinn. While the Victorian-era house has been renovated and extended by Cooke Fawcett Architects, the Grade II-listed mill hasn’t been developed due to planning restrictions, but does house the plant equipment for the renewable heating and hot water systems.

The view from the courtyard at the Casita, added in 2020.

The landscaping was added between the construction of the main house and the Casita.

With the help of architect Leah Solk, Chris and Erika Wershoven renovated their 1,970-square-foot retreat on the North Fork of Long Island for $500 per square foot. Erika says meticulous planning and finding an architect who aligned with her family’s sensibility and goals helped them achieve a distinctive end result within their budget.