Efficient home design and construction can be achieved in a number of ways, but the two most efficient things you can do are to reuse existing buildings, and make homes useful for different generations.
This new farmhouse home by Whitten Architects does both, with subtlety and style. An original milking barn was restored, and attached to a new farmhouse designed for a couple with adult children and grandchildren.
A cozy fieldstone hearth is capped with a massive granite lintel, what a perfect spot for a book and a cup of cocoa on a cold Maine winter day!
Details throughout the house mix reclaimed bits and pieces with new construction. The new colors are deliberately understated to let the old stuff show itself off.
Combining wine and laundry seems a bit unusual, but on the other hand… More importantly, look how well-planned things are here, including how the reclaimed floor joists just touch the top of the door casing.
The kitchen’s overall look is modern and clean, but humble enough for a farmhouse. Instead of exposing a massive range hood, they’ve tucked it behind two cabinet doors that, like all the cabinets, have a simple frame and flat panel design. The barrel-vault ceiling helps the space feel larger, and a skylight pumps light into the center of the space.
Karen’s laughing at me for including this house in The Modest Mansion, because she knows I’m not the biggest fan of winter. Or snow. Or cold. But that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate how beautiful the view outside this 4-season porch is. I might even enjoy watching golf on TV in this room.
And then again, it’s not always winter in Maine, right? Look how the slate flooring from inside the porch flows right outside to create a perfect patio.
The modest farmhouse theme carries through to the bedrooms and baths. The master bath uses every nook and cranny for storage.
The original timber-framed barn, moved and attached to the new farmhouse, includes a full woodworking shop. The barn was placed on the northwest side of the house to block winter winds.
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