Penobscot Gable House

This house outside Boston was built of Chester County fieldstone to evoke Pennsylvania stone farmhouses the owners had admired when they were growing up around Philadelphia. The house and outbuildings, though new, have the feeling of having grown and evolved over time.

This house aims to capture the modest spirit of a New England farm while offering a bit more elegance inside. The classical entry portico is a discreet clue to what lies within.

Using common, humble materials, asphalt shingles and vinyl siding, it manages, with the help of ornamental swags and fluted square columns, to evoke a degree of elegance.

This house draws on many sources, from the American Shingle Style to Japanese pavilions, to Frank Lloyd Wright, and unites them into something new. A Gothic entry arcade extends forty feet out from the house in a welcoming ceremonial gesture for the modest vacation house.