Hillside Farmhouse

Farm Villa combines imagery of the New England farmhouse with that of the Neoclassical European villa. Columns vary according to a hierarchy of formality: plain square white columns for the entry porch, monumental paneled columns for the view-facing porch, and locally-milled timbers with metal connections for the outbuildings.

The plan is largely one room deep to encourage cross ventilation and to take advantage of water views to the north, while admitting sunlight from the south. The flavor is influenced by an informal rustic camp next door.

We seamlessly transformed a beloved summer house built by our client’s grandparents in the 1920’s for year-round living. The house was slightly reorganized, gutted and insulated, but all the wood trim, doors, windows, and hardware were restored and reused.

This eclectic and innovative design re-imagines how to live within a traditional 5-story Boston townhouse. Some floors were removed and the basement excavated to create new double-height spaces. A new stair animates the space with a collage of seemingly randomly stacked boxes that tumble between the two levels.