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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
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CHAPTER 1
At Water’s Edge 1 4 Red Oaks
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Highmere
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Ocean Lodge Sungold
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CHAPTER 2
On the Vineyard 7 0 Hidden Village
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Starbuck Neck
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Slough Cove
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CHAPTER 3
Cape Classics 1 1 0 North Beach Overlook Allen Harbor High Point
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CHAPTER 4
At Home in the Suburbs 1 5 2 Chestnut Hill Stables Carisbrooke
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Hundreds Woods
APPENDIX
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PROJECT CREDITS
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PATRICK’S CAR COLLECTION
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PHOTOGRAPHY AND BOOK CREDITS
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This historic shingle-style specimen overlooking Buzzards Bay was renovated for modern day without losing any of its classic character. A newly built carriage house complements the residence, while a peppy 1969 MGB roadster awaits its owners in the driveway.
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At Wat e r ’ s E d g e
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RED OAKS South Shore, Massachusetts
When clients purchased a historic estate on a forty-foot-high granite outcropping, they knew it had potential. Built in 1906 in American foursquare style, the central portion of the residence retained some of its original character. Late 1990s additions, however, had not aged well, and the subsequent maze of rooms in a protruding wing didn’t relate logically to the central mass. The request was a reconfigured floor plan that better related spaces to each other and a campus that would serve the homeowners for generations to come.
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right: Clad in New England fieldstone and cedar shingle, Red Oaks is now fortified for its next century of life.
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right: Conceived as a supporting part of the overall Red Oaks reimagination, this petite folly structure was designed to hold a favorite automobile and to appear as though it could have at one point been the caretaker’s cottage.
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At Wat e r ’ s E d g e
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When we presented our proposal, the homeowners were floored. It turns out they loved the beach bungalow, and in particular the wife would have been devastated to raze it. We were the only firm that proposed saving the houses and won the job for sticking to our guns. Today, clad in vertical tongue-and-groove board painted white to establish a sense of hierarchy, the new connector wing is very significant. It becomes a gatehouse, calling visitors from the front gates to move toward the property and inside its doors toward the pool and terrace behind it where the family enjoys entertaining. The original bungalow from the exterior is preserved and enhanced, and while interior spaces have been somewhat modified, the front-facing paneled lounge with its proud stone chimney remains. That room in particular is rich with character and was critical to the homeowners to preserve. The carriage house was reimagined and revived as the structure that could have existed years prior. With three automotive bays below and guest quarters and an office above, it frames the new arrival court while acting as a foil, shielding a dedicated service lane from the main entry. The house’s mechanical systems, pool equipment, trash service, and more were planned to be accessible from this secondary drive behind the carriage house to preserve a sense of formal arrival at the front of the property. In that way, there’s enhanced programmatic and functional value to the carriage house structure. One of my favorite places in the house is the new second-floor deck accessed via the carriage house, which enjoys long views of the Newport Bridge, the Atlantic Ocean, and also the twelfth hole of the Newport Country Club. Part outdoor lounge and part viewing platform, it’s a special place to experience the property’s spectacular setting.
right: A new foundation was poured beneath the structure, raising the house 18 inches to meet floodplain regulations. Thoughtful regrading of the landscape and a rebuilt stone wall provide a subtle sleight of hand to conceal the intervention.
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next spread: A new viewing platform sits on the roof of the connector wing, which is joined with the carriage house via an outdoor living area on a second-floor deck.
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On the Vineyard
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Cape Classics
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This 1957 Fuel Injected Corvette convertible hits high notes with wide whitewall tires, proper C1 hubcaps with spinner centers, and an unadorned rear deck.
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CARISBROOKE Wellesley Farms, Massachusetts
Wellesley is a town that has developed over centuries. Early European settlers arrived in the early seventeenth century, and like nearby Chestnut Hill, the area remained largely rural until the nineteenth century when rail lines expanded and Boston’s influence extended outward. Eventually what had been farmland and country homes evolved into a desirable suburban community, which thrives to this day. The Wellesley Farms neighborhood is of particular importance to me. Its generous lots, mature trees, and early twentieth-century architecture give it a distinct sense of elegance. I’ve had the privilege of working on more than fifty homes in the neighborhood and have personally lived there for more than forty years. I’m proud to have been a part of both evolving the area and preserving its architectural identity.
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right: Carriage house doors swing wide open at Carisbrooke, where fall’s canopy of color mimics the shades of vehicles within.
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top left: As much a location to park prized vehicles, Carisbrooke is a place to sit and enjoy them among cherished automobilia. bottom left: Architectural wall paneling within the carriage house mimics that seen within the main residence. Historically appropriate beadboard painted Ahearn White sets a timeless tone. right: An Old English White 1960 MGA Roadster, a Signal Orange 1984 Porsche 911 RSR Tribute, and an Albert Blue 1970 Porsche 911E are comfortably protected within the walls of Carisbrooke. Vaulted ceilings on the interior offer exceptional volume.
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At Home in the Suburbs
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At Home in the Suburbs
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At Home in the Suburbs
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