The client purchased this overlooked fully-wooded property, recognizing its potential for a new family estate. We first created a master plan for the property, using GIS topography data to create an astonishingly accurate computer model of the terrain. This lead to a site strategy to clear approximately one acre of woods overlooking the wooded hillsa at the edge of a valley where a natural pond could be created. At this clearing, two future buildings were sited, the first, a family home nestled into the hillside and the scond, a guest house with a one bedroom apartment above a two-car garage that could double as a yoga studio or workshop for the owners.

The main house is a two-story structure built into the existing hillside. This strategy, reminiscent of walk-out barns in the area, reduces costruction costs, focuses the views towards the valley and minimizes the visual impact on the surrounding nature. Entering at the top floor, one approaches past the open kitchen towards a sunken living room that overlooks the landscape with a giant picture window. With the master suite to the other side, separated by back to back fireplaces, this floor is essentially one big suite for the parents; downstairs are the guest bedrooms, a playroom and the utility spaces. The garden entrance has a pantry for use with the pool at the edge of the field.

The deck sits alongside the house echoing the main floor’s split level layout. At the upper level, sliding glass doors open off the dining room for outdoor dining.The exterior materials take their cues from the local agricultural and rural architecture. Standing seam roofing rolls down onto the walls in places, intermingly with the shou sugi ban wood siding that is shared with the guesthouse.