Modern Farmhouse is a contemporary take on a tradition building type, the Connecticut farmhouse. Our clients were interested in a house that fit in with the landscape while providing plenty of daylight with views to the surrounding property. The design uses simple gables arranged in a picturesque manner. It balances clean modern lines, traditional forms, and rustic textures. The new house is bright and light while also feeling personal and unique. There was interest early on to compress the construction time and to design a building that would not take a lot of energy to run. To achieve these goals, the design of the main house used modular construction and a high performance envelope. To articulate the surfaces of the spaces, the owner assembled a group of designers and artisans. Natural textures and tones were layered over the volumes to give a sense of place and time. The modular units of the house are produced by Huntington Homes in East Montpelier, Vermont. In addition to the main house, there is a pool house that sits symmetrically on the main axis of a long swimming pool. A glass enclosed living room fits between two concrete volumes that house a bathroom and storage spaces. An outdoor shower faces south, with an oculus that lets light in when the door is closed. The simple forms of the pool house sit below a green roof, which protects the glassy room from the summer sun and integrates the building into the hilly landscape.

A new back deck is tucked under the overhang of a second story sunroom above, and black slats infill the gap to an adjacent brick wall, creating a cozy spot to relax outside, BBQ, and watch the kids playing in the yard.

Matt McCourtney / McCourtney Photography

Colorful and hardy tropical plants on Siesta key

Angle Eye Photography

Howard Roberts

Landmark Photography

SMB Real Estate Photography

Patrick Argast

It takes a certain finesse to assess the landscape and its needs effectively to produce a garden oasis of this scope. Traffic flow, visual aesthetic, and local flora and fauna must be considered. For this build, local fauna such as raccoon and mink threatened the Coi swimming in the pond. Juergen and his design team created designs that incorporated simple forms of shelter for the fish that kept them out of harm’s way. Another challenge the team faced involved redefining the deck space, which was little more than a transition space in and out of the house. Partridge put a new patio in place that blurred the lines between inside and outside and transformed the space into a favourite sitting spot. No matter what challenges Juergen and his team face, they overcome it with unparalleled skill.

The outdoor area features concrete look Bottega Acero tiles on walls for a urban look.