Tucked into a cove on Maine’s mid-coast, this vacation home is designed for a family who prioritizes an indoor/outdoor lifestyle and enjoys entertaining when in town. The residence is only revealed after cresting the hill of the long driveway approach. It first appears as an iconic, featureless form perched on a pair of stone walls composed of rocks found on the site, its form inspired by red barns found in the area. The architecture appears to hover above the ground, its delicate cantilever providing optical lightness and an unimpeded first view to the ocean beyond.
Drawing inspiration from the nearby Naval Yard, the home’s positioning atop the stone walls references that of a ship launching into the water. The home’s rustic steel exterior is highly weather resistant, designed to withstand coastal Maine’s temperature swings, snow, and rain when not in use during the winter. In fact, the windows, doors, and exterior stairway retract, creating a perfect form sheltered from the surrounding landscape.
Once the owner arrives, the home awakens and unfolds from its protective state, opening to embrace the views and reveal a warm wood interior. On the ground level, a drive-through garage enables those towing a boat to easily transport it inside and later leave for a sailing adventure without the inconvenience of backing up, ideal for the many summer activities an indoor/outdoor lifestyle brings. Upon taking the stairs to the home’s main level, an open plan reveals a kitchen, dining area, and primary living space that graciously welcomes ocean views through sliding glass doors that pocket away to dissolve the boundary between indoors and out. On the southern side of the home a primary bedroom suite is tucked away, while the northern side includes a second bedroom and third room that serves as a family TV room, that, when company calls, transforms into an additional guest room courtesy of a custom murphy bed. There is no better place to enjoy time with loved ones, far from the stresses of daily life.
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