South Coast House

With Medieval overtones, this shingled house is anchored by a great hall of reclaimed wood, with a musicians’ gallery at one end.

Over half the interior of the tiny house is a great lodge hall, extending to the full height of the roof and centered on a massive stone fireplace. Tree trunk porch columns give the entry façade something of the aspect of a primitive shrine.

An old house was given a new lease on life by replacing the exterior white painted stucco with shingles, more in keeping with its island neighbors. Inside, vistas were opened up between the main rooms, and bay windows added on the water side to take in the expansive views. The kitchen moved from a rear service wing to the view side, where it becomes a family gathering place.  The stair was reoriented to create a clear path from entry to living room.

This compound of new buildings adopts a vernacular rural style, reinforcing the culture of the place by using simple barn forms. The composition is unified by painting all the buildings the traditional ferrous oxide red.