interior details

The cabinets double as art when closed, revealing spacious storage areas when opened.

With its black steel beams, white walls, and concrete floors, the lower level guest suite captures the De Stijl look.

In the en suite bath on the second floor, a concrete floor gives way to a round, tiled, double-height space that culminates in a skylight. Plants hang on either side of a custom shower-head from Still Bathrooms. The faucets is from Crestial and the pendants are from Spazio Lighting.

SHED embraced the angled corners with custom cabinetry. According to Hale, the inspiration images that the couple chose were “less American Midwest farmhouse, and more contemporary Scandinavian farmhouse,” which inspired the design team to consult Scandinavian farm layouts for the master plan.

Storage was vital for this young family, and the design team incorporated it wherever they could. Though the space is relatively compact, smartly programmed walls of cabinetry—like the one that runs through the hallway room from a work station to the main bedroom—make it simple to keep clutter out of sight.

An internal window creates a visual connection between the living area and the dining room, and also allows the wood-burning fireplace to easily heat the whole space.

The goal: create a living space that would be connected to the garden, with great functionality. “They wanted a house they could raise children in, to the point where their children could be teenagers and adult children,” says Dovey. “They were really thinking forward into the future.”

In their query letter, Ben and Sarah were clear that they wanted a home that could accommodate all of life’s messes. “We don't want a white display kitchen that only looks good when it's clean and not in use. We want our kitchen to be able to work hard. We love to cook and when we do, there are usually lots of things on the go and a mess being made.”

Articulated reveals mark where the drywall meets the wood of the tread, and a bent steel railing, powder-coated black, follows the line of the staircase.

The team painted the exterior brick after patching it in places, like the section left by the removal of the door. “We could find the exact texture of brick, that classic Roman running bond, but we could not find it in the right color,” says architect Kailin Gregga. Painting the entire exterior unifies the façade. Rich Brilliant Willing “Hoist” sconces in Black was also added.

The slat wall treatment is continued, with the powder-coated metal railing “creating a different language,” says Gregga. Adds Sean: The railing “has such a good feel in your hand.”

The room is painted Farrow & Ball ‘Stiffkey Blue’ and outfitted with a custom desk.

Exposed support posts become a design feature with a swooping cut-out in the kitchen counter.

Custom oak cabinetry defines the kitchen from the adjacent dining room. Terra cotta toned grout in the Bedrosian ‘Makoto’ tile backsplash is a hint of color, alongside the Ago “Kirkus” Chandelier in Terra Cotta above the table. A folding glass door now opens to the new exterior deck.

“They really wanted to have tile in the kitchen and at the front door, but everyone disliked that hard edge line,” says Gregga. “Doing the organic edge of the tile helped make the entry space and kitchen feel like one, and then it disintegrates into the living and dining room.”

The table can be converted into a second bed in order to accommodate up to four guests.