Houzz Tour: Historic on the Outside, Contemporary on the Inside
Architects design a new home that fits seamlessly into Provincetown, Massachusetts’ historic East End
Before they moved on to Plymouth in 1620, the Pilgrims came ashore in Provincetown, Massachusetts. So this is a town that takes its history very seriously. After being tasked with building a new home on Provincetown’s historic and lively Commercial Street, architects Mark Hammer and Don DiRocco spent lots of time walking the neighborhood to get a feel for the architecture of the homes around their clients’ waterfront property.
“Don and I spent a lot of time walking up and down Commercial Street looking at windows, dormers, porches and other architectural details,” Hammer says. Applying this local architectural vocabulary to the new home eased it into the neighborhood seamlessly. The house, covered in red cedar shingles, looks like it’s been there for at least 100 years — belying its contemporary open floor plan and loft-like interiors.
“Don and I spent a lot of time walking up and down Commercial Street looking at windows, dormers, porches and other architectural details,” Hammer says. Applying this local architectural vocabulary to the new home eased it into the neighborhood seamlessly. The house, covered in red cedar shingles, looks like it’s been there for at least 100 years — belying its contemporary open floor plan and loft-like interiors.
“The porch was a great way to give the house expression,” Hammer says. The architects put it 4 feet higher than street level to create enough height for the walk-out lower level. But the height also gives the homeowners a sense of separation from the busy sidewalks and street. At the same time, the porch allows them to engage with passersby. “The homeowners tell me they have received lots of compliments about the porch while sitting on the porch,” Hammer says.
The porch was also a great way to mitigate the height of the main level, which sits about 6 feet above street level. To get an idea of this clever architectural manipulation, look to the stairs. A small landing at the top of the concrete steps is level with the top of the long planter to the right — the planter gives the illusion of being a terrace. Then a few wooden steps lead up to the porch level. From the porch, a few more steps lead up to the front door and main level.
Imagine this in contrast to a boxy home where there’s a 6-foot-high straight run of steps up to the front door from street level. Here, the dramatic difference in height from street level to the main floor is camouflaged by a clever architectural approach.
The porch was also a great way to mitigate the height of the main level, which sits about 6 feet above street level. To get an idea of this clever architectural manipulation, look to the stairs. A small landing at the top of the concrete steps is level with the top of the long planter to the right — the planter gives the illusion of being a terrace. Then a few wooden steps lead up to the porch level. From the porch, a few more steps lead up to the front door and main level.
Imagine this in contrast to a boxy home where there’s a 6-foot-high straight run of steps up to the front door from street level. Here, the dramatic difference in height from street level to the main floor is camouflaged by a clever architectural approach.
This is the back of the house. Along with the lot’s grade change, elevating the height of the main floor allowed for the walk-out lower level beneath it. This gave the homeowners more living space, which includes two bedrooms, a full bathroom and a mudroom for people coming in from the decks and beach.
Raising the main floor’s height also allowed for decks off the back of the lower level that are above flood level. On the left side of the deck is a seating lounge, in the center are two chaise lounges for sunbathing and on the right is a small plunge pool.
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Raising the main floor’s height also allowed for decks off the back of the lower level that are above flood level. On the left side of the deck is a seating lounge, in the center are two chaise lounges for sunbathing and on the right is a small plunge pool.
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The front door opens directly to the main level, which has an open floor plan. The dining area enjoys views of the action on the street, as well as water views. The adjacent living area opens to a long deck and has a fireplace. The main level also includes the kitchen, a walk-in pantry and a powder room.
The open floor plan allows for sweeping harbor views as soon as one walks through the front door. Lift-and-slide French doors stack on one side to create a wide opening between the living area and deck. “This is a year-round home, and winters can be fierce here,” Hammer says. “These doors lock down and stand up to the weather.”
Steel cable wire railings on the deck keep the views open. And a clerestory above the doors maximizes natural light and the view of the sky.
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Steel cable wire railings on the deck keep the views open. And a clerestory above the doors maximizes natural light and the view of the sky.
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The architects tucked the kitchen to the side of the house, with an island that delineates it from the main living space. Eames counter stools add midcentury modern flair.
Browse counter stools in the Houzz Shop
Browse counter stools in the Houzz Shop
The kitchen is clean-lined, and the dark cabinetry recedes into the background within the open plan. “Our clients knew they wanted dark-painted cabinetry. They completed a lot of the interior design themselves,” Hammer says.
A sleek pass-through bar occupies a spot between the living and dining areas, convenient for serving both. The area behind it is a pantry and wine room. The door to the right leads to the powder room. The architects gave the homeowners a display niche between the bar and powder room. The glass shelves are lit from above, and this area makes the wall more interesting and personalized.
Saarinen Executive chairs in gold add a big dollop of bold color around the hefty wood dining table. A Bertjan Pot Heracleum pendant light floats ethereally overhead.
Saarinen Executive chairs in gold add a big dollop of bold color around the hefty wood dining table. A Bertjan Pot Heracleum pendant light floats ethereally overhead.
This pantry area, painted to match the kitchen cabinetry, is to the right of the kitchen and behind the pass-through bar. The bird clock is a custom art piece.
This area has a bar sink and is adjacent to the refrigerator. Drinks can be poured and mixed here, then served through the pass-through bar to guests in the living and dining areas.
This area has a bar sink and is adjacent to the refrigerator. Drinks can be poured and mixed here, then served through the pass-through bar to guests in the living and dining areas.
The architects exposed the floor joists to gain ceiling height. This is one of the ways the design counteracts the height restriction. They used poplar with a warm stain on the ceilings, then added sound-absorbing material between those boards and the oak hardwood floorboards on the second floor. “Exposing the floor joists like this made the room feel much more spacious,” Hammer says.
The second floor is an open loft space that contains the primary suite. The ceiling goes up to the roof’s vault, making the entire floor feel more spacious. Like the ceiling downstairs, this ceiling is poplar with a warm stain.
The homeowners enjoy expansive views of Provincetown Harbor from their bed. The bedroom also has a fireplace.
The homeowners enjoy expansive views of Provincetown Harbor from their bed. The bedroom also has a fireplace.
The primary bathroom enjoys harbor views from the shower, seen on the right, and the freestanding bathtub.
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New to home remodeling? Click here to learn the basics
“The tides are pretty extreme in Provincetown Bay. At low tide it’s not so easy to swim,” Hammer says. So his clients opted for a small plunge pool built into the deck as an alternative.
At the back of the house, the deck off the kitchen and living area includes a grilling station. Underneath it, the architects placed a greenhouse that the homeowners wanted for their orchids.
They raised the lower deck off the ground to a height above flood levels. This deck includes the plunge pool. The pool is almost completely above ground but doesn’t look like it because of the deck’s design.
They raised the lower deck off the ground to a height above flood levels. This deck includes the plunge pool. The pool is almost completely above ground but doesn’t look like it because of the deck’s design.
The property is an environmentally sensitive site due to its proximity to the coast. In addition to passing muster with the Provincetown Historic District Commission, the home’s design had to be reviewed and approved by the local zoning board and the Conservation Commission, as well as FEMA.
Hammer and DiRocco designed the home to be net-zero, meaning it creates at least as much energy as it consumes. Low-voltage radiant heating, maximized natural light and solar photovoltaic panels mounted on the roof play a large part in accomplishing this goal.
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Hammer and DiRocco designed the home to be net-zero, meaning it creates at least as much energy as it consumes. Low-voltage radiant heating, maximized natural light and solar photovoltaic panels mounted on the roof play a large part in accomplishing this goal.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple who own a local hotel
Location: Provincetown, Massachusetts
Size: 3,000 square feet (279 square meters); three bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms
Architects: Mark Hammer and Don DiRocco of Hammer Architects
Contractor: Bannon Custom Builders
Hammer and DiRocco’s clients are a couple who had left their corporate jobs to become hoteliers in Provincetown. They bought an inn a block or so back from the water and lived in an apartment within it for years. On this separate waterfront site, they owned a small condominium building that they used as an annex to the inn. “One day they realized the guests who stayed in that building had much better views than they did. So they decided to tear down the condo building, build a new house to move into and turn their inn apartment into additional guest rooms,” Hammer says.
The home is located in Provincetown’s historic East End. At 24 by 30 feet, it has a fairly modest footprint, determined by setback and height requirements. “The approval process was incredibly complicated,” Hammer says. The local architecture they’d studied on their walks inspired their design’s gabled roofs, cedar shingle siding and appropriately proportioned windows.
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