River House Ideas

Tasked by John Powers and Jennifer Bostic with renovating a run-down cottage that was never meant to be lived in year round, Otto Ruano of Lead Studios transformed the space while keeping as much of it intact as possible. Potence lamps by Jean Prouvé illuminate the kitchen and living area. The bifold doors are by Loewen.

Frances Bacon, the couple’s French bulldog, rests on the screened-in porch.

A fire pit between two wings of the home encourages outdoor living.

"Our guiding mantra was: space is the ultimate luxury. With this house it was of the utmost importance to feel serenity," explains Bailey Peace Design's Betsy Peace. "And so every choice was constantly filtered by asking the questions, ‘Is this necessary? Does this belong? Can it co-exist without distracting the eye?’"

In the open-plan living area, one of the highlights is the natural light-filled kitchen from Italian manufacturer Armony.

The custom David Oldroyd breakfast banquette is a fun spot for the family to gather at mealtime with views of the surrounding oaks.

Sofa and rug are from Restoration Hardware.

The wall paint is Snowbound by Sherwin-Williams

Over time, the landscape will fill in, becoming a seamless blend running underneath the house.

Trust Titanium porcelain tiles by AKDO partially clad the master bathroom.

A narrow corridor connects a row of bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry.

The child’s bedroom features a Chilton bedframe, Schoolhouse Electric bed linens, and an Angela Adams rug. The table and chair are from Blu Dot.

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.

The office, cantilevered over the trees, can also double as a playroom for the children. “I wanted a place that they would be excited to go to,” says the homeowner, “creating a fun, whimsical house that would appeal to them 20 years down the road.”

The house is oriented north-south, with the broad side of the structure facing east-west. This guarantees not only gorgeous views of the sunset, but also minimizes wind exposure.

A substantial sandstone fireplace grounds the voluminous living room.