From House To Home

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In a perfect world, there would be no distinction between function and form, and this beautiful Concord home would have evolved through the seasons and emerged as part of the larger landscape that surrounds it.

But because houses don’t grow from seeds, AIA Architect Holly Cratsley, a principal of Nashawtuc Architects, designed the 5,000-square-foot project to blur the distinction between the natural and constructed worlds. And the challenge of designing the home to blend into the earth was made even more complicated because of its relatively large footprint. Her clients needed a home that could live well in three different programs while still treading lightly on the marsh that defines the lot.

Shaped like a crescent moon, the back of the home embraces the wetlands below. The circulation is complicated because they needed distinct entrances for a busy studio space and privacy for people who came for counseling sessions. They wanted areas for living, working, and also hosting overnight guests in comfort. Miraculously, even with this rather complex blueprint, from the curb the home reads as a modest family residence situated on a gentle slope.

The architect used a technique she calls “banding” to wrap the home horizontally and keep it from “looming above the landscape.” At the base, stones wrap the perimeter before giving way to shingles. One row uses traditional side-by-side overlap, and a second row uses double-banded shingles with a narrow reveal. A third and final band of shingles completes the effect. Cratsley explains, “By breaking up the house horizontally, we minimized the height.” She and her clients then debated before deciding to match the exterior trim to the exterior walls, which enhances the neutral palette and further minimizes the scale.

Inside, the details were even more critical. Along with aesthetic considerations, they had to make the home efficient. To deal with the distinct living and working spaces, Cratsley designed three different “wings” on two floors with a pair of staircases--one private and one public. On the main living level, the rooms themselves are not oversized, but a sense of spaciousness is created thanks to their orientation and to the large banks of windows that open the interiors to pristine views surrounding the home.

A combination living room, formal dining room, kitchen, and breakfast nook has its own distinctive footprint while allowing substantial interaction both physically and visually. A calming interior palette honors the power of nature thanks to an earthy combination of oak floors, cherry beams, slate tiles, sage green, and reds the color of autumn leaves. Built-in seating and storage is also essential to the success of the space because their efficient design allows the furnishings to be kept simple. The main-level master suite is complete with two well-appointed bathrooms finished in glowing shades of soft green tile.

On the lower level, in addition to the studio and office spaces, there is a large living area for overnight guests. The design incorporates three bedrooms, a living room, bath, and kitchenette as well as doors that open to the back yard. Private porches, a balcony deck, and a three-season room are balanced throughout the home to help strengthen that connection between inside and outside.

Cratsley is most proud of the fact that her design not only provided her clients a simple integration of their professional and personal lives, but it also adjusts to the surrounding landscape in a way that never undermines the strength of its character. It is a big home that treads lightly on the landscape.