Northshore Home magazine highlights the best in architectural design, new construction and renovations, interiors, and landscape design.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1176984
64 ards of the lot's spectacular fields, views, and historic set of barns," says Pennoyer, who lived in Essex at one time and is very familiar with the property. "The land needed more of an 'estate' house, but not too big, and one that would take advantage of the views—east and south out to the fields and north to some picturesque rock outcroppings." A conservation easement limited the size of the new construction to 3,500 feet, and the new high-perform- ing building is a registered ENERGY STAR project, both attributes that please Donovan, who says she "wanted to go in a sustainable direction." Further, what she had in mind was "a modern farmhouse that didn't feel stuffy." She wanted inviting colors and a space that was "clean, open, airy, and light." "The homeowner favored natural materials like real wood floors and natural stone," says Crestin, whose first thought for flooring was to use wide pine throughout, in random widths. "Wide pine is as 'farmhouse' as you can get, but it's not practical," she says, explaining that the unforgiving wood shows too much wear and tear. "As much as it's the right tool for that particular feel, Crestin created a design that is clean, open and bright. Natural materials such as stone and wood are found throughout the house. Mudroom cubbies help keep the home organized. Handsome barn doors offer a rustic look. it's not right for this family." They opted for white oak, appreciating its warm color, and knotty appearance and its coexisting attributes of being clean yet rustic. The home's high ceilings make it feel larger than it is. Where Crestin wanted "to drive home that farmhouse feel," including in the mudroom hall and in the main liv- ing area, beams of white oak were added that had been chamber-fumed, a process popular in Europe that dark- ens the wood slightly and brings out its grain pattern. In certain parts of the main living area, the beams were also used as posts to delineate shiplap walls painted Benja- min Moore Super White, a shade Crestin used through- out the home for its "nice, neutral brightness." Neutral is what Donovan was leaning toward for a color palette as well, but she was comfortable with in- tegrating some hues found in nature, like greens and blues. Navy yoke-back wooden dining chairs served as a starting point and from there green was introduced with the living room couch, which is slipcovered for durability. Green shows up again in the mudroom hall barn lights and a built-in cabinet in the laundry room, both painted Behr Moss Landing. Blues make a reap-