River Point was built amongst an old series of farm sheds.
Robert Brewster
The new house is connected to the old farm sheds, which help buf…
The new house is connected to the old farm sheds, which help buffer the house from the driveway.
Robert Brewster
A connecting arcade leads to the front door of the main house.
Robert Brewster
Sightlines through the connector lead from one courtyard to the …
Sightlines through the connector lead from one courtyard to the other.
Robert Brewster
The shingled façade says “seaside” and the gambrel roof say…
The shingled façade says “seaside” and the gambrel roof says “farm”, making the house compatible with its coastal and formerly agricultural site.
Robert Brewster
The old sheds, used now as a gate lodge and a garage, sit behind…
The old sheds, used now as a gate lodge and a garage, sit behind the house and are visible from the front.
Robert Brewster
The space between the house and the sheds becomes a courtyard.
Robert Brewster
On the south side of the living room, a window seat is the perfe…
On the south side of the living room, a window seat is the perfect place to curl up and read.
Robert Brewster
Decorative posts frame the dining room, which flows into the kit…
Decorative posts frame the dining room, which flows into the kitchen, making for an open plan that’s clearly defined.
Robert Brewster
Soaring ceiling, exposed trusses, and stone fireplace give the m…
Soaring ceiling, exposed trusses, and stone fireplace give the master bedroom a sense of presence and solidity.
Robert Brewster
A glass tile backsplash and integral sinks made of concrete add …
A glass tile backsplash and integral sinks made of concrete add a contemporary touch that makes sense in this shingle-style house.
Robert Brewster
Architect Jacob Albert paid close attention to the “vernacular…
Architect Jacob Albert paid close attention to the “vernacular of old sheds” when he built the house.
“The original home was like a barracks,” recalls architect Jacob Albert of the site, with its falling-down house that resembled a 1960s motor lodge, plus a few charming but run-down old farm sheds. The house had to be torn down, but the sheds remained: The spaces between them and the house site formed appealing courtyard spots worth keeping. The aim, says Albert, was to make a new home “that didn’t look like it was trying to be some old farm house.” The end result was a home with a rambling, relaxed quality, and one that incorporated the refurbished sheds, which are linked to the new house and serve as garage, workshop, storage, and hangout.
The house wears its influences well: The shingles say eastern seacoast, and the gambrel roof is a reminder that a farm was once here. There’s an Arts and Crafts influence, too, with oversized roof brackets that add a playful flourish and details such as the staircase that’s built in a tower the same height as the rest of the house. On the inside, corner windows let light pour into the stairwell while wainscoting adds depth and definition. The stair rail is made of poplar, a hard wood that takes paint well. The rail’s cutouts add lightness and help daylight travel through the stairwell. It’s also a simple way of giving dimension and gracefulness to a staircase without the kind of elaborate carving you’d find in a more formal house. The interior actually has a fair bit of wood trim, but like the stair rail, it’s all accomplished with an impressively light hand.
Learn more about markets featured in this article: Boston, MA.
Amy Albert is editor of Custom Home and a senior editor at Builder. She covers all aspects of design. Previously, she
was kitchen design editor at Bon Appetit;
before that, she was senior editor at Fine
Cooking, where she shot, edited, and wrote stories on kitchen design. Amy
studied art history with an emphasis on architecture and urban design at the
University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Los Angeles. Write her at aalbert@hanleywood.com, follow her on Twitter @CustomHomeMag and @amyatbuilder, or join her on Custom Home's Facebook page.
