South Woodstock, Vt., Residence

Project Details

Project Description

2005 CHDA
Custom Home 3,000 to 5,000 Square Feet / Merit Award

With the construction of his own house in the Vermont countryside, builder John King set out to unravel a classic design paradox. He wanted a home with the performance and durability of a new building, but the charm and visual appeal of an old one. Modern materials technology came to his aid—fiber-cement siding, fiber-reinforced concrete pillars, and composite decking all gave him the exterior look he wanted while standing up to the harsh New England winters. Designer Dan Scott studied local examples of Greek Revival houses to come up with authentic-looking details and trim, which King had his craftsmen carry out in wood. “It shows you can have the same look and elegance as an old house with a combination of old and new products,” he says.

Interiors blend traditional millwork and molding with an updated, open floor plan. “The kitchen opens to the dining and living areas,” says King, a third-generation builder. “We broke up the spaces with pillars and ceiling beams.” And a two-story garage with a guest suite above resembles an agricultural outbuilding, with its square windows and red-painted walls. Standing-seam metal roofs on both buildings reinforce the house's rural, regionally appropriate feeling, an impression that wasn't lost on the judges. “This is a very straightforward response to a rolling agrarian site,” said one. “It's porch-oriented, outdoor living.”