Bernardston View

Project Details

Project Description

Perched atop a hill overlooking portions of the Great Eastern Deciduous Forest, the design of this residence is rooted in the owners’ childhood remembrances of rural New England. While inspired from those memories, the house is neither a reproduction of a particular vernacular nor bound to adhere to traditional details.
The size and layout typifies a shift that we have been seeing in our clients’ wants and desires over the last few years. Not only is Less More, but More needs to be done with Less. Rooms must not only be functional for their intended purpose but must also have the ability to adapt frequently to changing needs or programmatic requirements. In lieu of a Guest Bedroom, there is an Office with an adjacent bath that can double as a Guest Suite at a moment’s notice. With no separation other than the trusses above, the Family Room and Dining Room can each be expanded or contracted as the situation dictates. The finished attic has both a secret ladder access when used by the children as a playroom and a formal entrance off the main stair when used for a Sitting Room, Observatory, Study, or spare Bedroom.
As important as flexibility and adaptability are to the interior of the house, site specificity is to the exterior. The house is situated to take advantage of particular views from the hill and to illuminate the large open space within with natural light. The shape of the house itself helps to form usable exterior space which can be viewed and accessed from multiple points in the house.