Located on a six-acre rural site, this house was designed for a couple with a love for the water. While the theme for the home was grounded upon traditional forms and scale, the layout was generated to accommodate contemporary living. Outdoor spaces, including porches, patio, gardens, walks and drives, were considered as equally important as those within; the result being a home that connects gracefully with its natural setting. Virtually every room has a view and easy access to the outdoors. Exterior materials were selected consistent with the area’s waterfront vernacular; interior detailing followed the owners’ desire toward “warmth” and “welcoming”.

The home itself is two stories and comprises nearly 5,000 SF of conditioned space. Unique to the layout is the circular sunroom on the first floor and the corresponding guest room above. The form serves as a type of “hinge” allowing the home to bend as it presents itself to the river; it also serves on the first floor as a divider of sorts, separating living/entertainment from the bedroom wing.

Important to the home’s owners was scaling the relatively large home to minimize pretension and to create a house both welcoming and comfortable. Sloping the roof forms to a lower eave height and utilizing warm and familiar exterior materials accomplished these objectives.