Written by Adrienne Dyer. Photos by Jody Beck.
The owners of this modern farmhouse wanted a dwelling that was at home in nature, surrounded by ocean vistas and fields of wildflowers. As retiring professionals, they envisioned a classic silhouette on the exterior with rustic and natural finishings — a space with a relaxed spirit to take them into their next chapter. Enter Phil Wilson and Glenn Hamilton of Philco Construction, who built this gabled home with their trademark craftsmanship, seamlessly combining both traditional and contemporary elements with wood, concrete, and natural stone.
Outside, the Philco team designed the landscape to allow the plantings to run a bit wild. Over time, grass and flowers will turn the winding gravel drive into an old-fashioned ribbon driveway, leading to the home’s stately entrance. Cedar shakes clad the house, all the way from the foundation to the pine soffits, tucked underneath the charcoal metal roof, for a classic, Vermont-like farmhouse ambiance. At night, the house gleams with light from the rows of windows and the LED strip lighting under the exterior fir beams.
Once inside, a traditional vestibule introduces a spacious open floor plan, designed to capture the best light and views of the garden and the ocean beyond. A natural stone fireplace with a concrete hearth rises to a shiplap ceiling, crossed with white-painted beams, to create a comfortable, put-your-feet-up-and-stay-awhile feel. Panel doors open from the living and dining areas onto the patio to emphasize the strong ties to the home’s rural landscape.
“The house has two roof pitches, and the roofline under the steeper pitch originally created triangular spaces inside the house,” says Wilson. “The clients wanted everything to be square, which required some creative reconfiguration to square off the triangles.”
This created some of the home’s most interesting features, like the dropped ceiling over the stairs, where rich walnut stair treads meet polished concrete floors and horizontal shiplap feature walls. And the principal bedroom, where the bed is framed in a partially enclosed sleeping nook is a design feature repeated in the mudroom vanity, which is adorned on three sides by glossy tiled walls.
These lines flow consistently throughout the home, framing the windows and living spaces with dark grey trim to complement the natural wood tones of the walnut millwork. At the heart of the main floor, the kitchen’s gorgeous blend of fine materials and craftsmanship are enough to make anyone swoon.
Vertical slatting hides an appliance garage in the kitchen and clads the kitchen island and cabinetry beneath the sink, layering a distinctive pattern to accompany the Shaker cabinetry. In place of handles, the cabinets feature routered grooves, and larger drawer fronts open to reveal smaller drawers hidden inside for organized storage.
“An architect and an artist, the clients love natural and rustic materials, yet appreciate fine details and finishings,” says Wilson. Already comfortable in its surroundings, this home’s cozy yet refined, old-country feel will only deepen with time.
