ATTIE HOUSE

A family retreat draws upon tradition and regional vernacular while interspersing modern elements and details. This house never fails to surprise and delight, a true invention of old and new, familiar and innovative. The white clapboard siding and cedar roof make a distinguished introduction. After many years and many projects, it remains a treat to visit this special place.

Breakfast Nook: set at an angle off the kitchen, furnished with Cherner chairs and a glass-topped live trunk base.

The vaulted living room features classic random-width, quarter-sawn white oak floors, ebonized windows, and clerestory windows that admit high light deep into the space.

The beauty of plaster is that it allows surfaces to blend; here, a second-floor corridor is made into a “secret passage” where walls and barrel-vault ceiling combine.

Bathrooms are a place for high detail: horizontal surfaces create luxury, and all fitting and fixtures are carefully organized around the tile dimensions.

Dual passages link kitchen and formal dining.

Hilltop

This estate property features numerous buildings and projects conceived and executed over time, yet always with a singular vision and a trusted kit of parts. There is an unmistakable old – world quality that has nevertheless been entirely fabricated through design and the use of authentic time-honored materials. Furthermore, these are overlayed on a foundation of leading-edge construction and energy efficient methods and technologies. Throughout the property there are ICFs (Insulated Concrete Forms), SIPS (Structural Insulated Panel Systems), precast concrete floors, and geothermal heating.

Roofing 101: a cedar “shake” (shown here) is a rough-hewn version of the smoother “shingle.”

Old-world character imbues every aspect of this stately property.

The built-in “entertainment center” commands an important wall and deftly conceals the TV screen. It has the distinction of having been added to more than 100,000 idea books on the popular website Houzz.

Exposed hand-hewn beams imbue the interior with warmth.

Subtle devices such as interior windows and mirrored backsplashes make small spaces seem bigger.

It’s a team effort – builder, homeowner, decorator, and architect - to create spaces with as much depth and character as these.

Stone facades allow for a delightful blending of building and landscape.

A warm, gentle color scheme creates a cozy, inviting bedroom.