windowseats

Boyer relocated the laundry room and installed this cozy seating nook for the family in the old space. Occupants can interact with people in the kitchen, or appreciate the views into the front yard and mature trees.

Berg floated a seating bench across a new kitchen window, which brings attention to the lowered sill placement.

The couple's daughter reads in the cozy nook just inside the front door painted in a vibrant blue from Benjamin Moore. Of the storage area below, Fredrik says, "In Sweden, there's always a place to sit and take off your shoes. This is a version of that."

The large window that punctuates the front facade "is called a flower window in the Netherlands because of its depth; the ledge is a place to put flowers," Collaris says. "In this case, it's an extra place to sit in the living room."

The main floor didn’t open up to the backyard or take advantage of the space. Bader and team changed that, removing a slope-roofed extension at the back of the home and rebuilding it to full height with full Bauhaus sliding doors to connect the interior space right out to the garden.

Each of the four bedrooms feature large expanses of glazing framing picturesque views of the wide-open countryside. While the rural position of the house presents spectacular serenity, daily amenities (including a well-loved local pub) are within short reach.

The parlor features a white oak window seat that receives eastern morning light.

A low wooden bench running along both sides of the extension is both functional and attractive.

The Colemas replaced the orange carpet in the loft area with grey tweed carpet tiles from FLOR. The pair of smaller windows was removed to make way for a Skycove window seat by Marvin.

The entrance is carved into the hillside and leads down earthen steps, past the reading window of the passage and between the two wings of the home to an entrance hall.

“When you come in, you immediately get an understanding of the space, and that leads to a feeling of safety,

Though the homeowners liked the look of concrete countertops, they were honest with themselves that the upkeep wouldn’t be a good fit for their lifestyle. So, Loader tracked down an experimental micro-cement, a waterproof plaster common in restaurant applications: It’s got the industrial look Pete and Daisy love, but doesn’t require sealing and maintenance.

In a spare bedroom/playroom located in another section of the house, Berg played with juxtapositions of shapes, installing an oak-wrapped, triangular reading nook inset with a circular window.

Have your children help you go through their book collections and pick out what books they haven't read yet. If you are able to safely leave your home, you can coordinate curbside dropoff book exchanges with friends.

The house features Bayerwald sliding windows and highly insulated fixed glass; low-VOC paint from Benjamin Moore; and big overhangs to the south to shield summer sun and allow winter light. It was important to the family to integrate sustainable materials and strategies.