This refined cottage was designed by Whitten Architects, located in a small seaside community of Portland in Southern Maine. Many aspects of the design were restricted by zoning guidelines in the village community. This entailed maximum and minimum dimensions, exterior materials, size of windows, porches, roof pitches, and character elements.
At the edge of this coastal village, near a woodland edge, was a seasonal log cabin. Its modest form was perched on a significant ledge outcropping. While the sound of crashing waves and seabirds and the scent of ocean air were evident, the home was set apart from the coastal village, but not quite part of the forested land either.
DESIGN DETAILS: ARCHITECT Whitten Architects CONTRACTOR Bowley Builders LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Soren Deniord Design Studio LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR Pinnacle Landscape & Design STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Albert Putnam Associates INTERIORS CONSULTANT Krista Stokes MILLWORK Block Brothers
The homeowners are a mostly retired couple from the mountain West. With friends in the neighborhood and an elderly parent nearby, they opted to make this log cabin set on a large, unique lot their own. Their hope was to create a home that would meet their lifestyle needs for year-round use, accessible outdoor space, and acknowledgment of the village community and vast ocean beyond.
What We Love: The forms of this refined cottage are traditional in their shape and the rigorous details add a modern touch that the homeowners desired. The now contextual home embraces the coastal village with its modern edge. Overall, we are loving the attention to detail throughout this home, from the trellis that connects the home to the detached garage to the rooftop garden for entertaining family and friends.
Tell Us: What are your favorite details in the design of this home? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments below!
Note: Be sure to take a look at a couple of other fantastic home tours that we have showcased here on One Kindesign in the state of Maine: Step inside this breathtaking barn cottage retreat on the coast of Maine and Beautiful coastal Maine home envisioned for idyllic summer getaways.
The village restrictions did not allow for an attached garage, but an exterior trellis made an implied sheltered connection.
The open-concept living space enjoys tranquil ocean views. Books, records, and turntable storage were carefully quantified and accommodated by generous built-ins. This space opens to an exterior patio. The patio sits on the once steep ledge outcropping. Some portions of the ledge gardens were left untouched and access to the lower lawn was made safer with new steps.
The first floor offers a guest suite or long-term master bedroom for the homeowners should they need it.
The utility room includes laundry, utility sink, trash organization, and extensive shoe and coat storage nearest to the garage. The wallpaper and handmade wall sconce selections selected by the interior designer make this room playful and enjoyable for the tasks of daily living.
The stairwell rises two-and-a-half stories to a roof deck and green roof. Here the views of the ocean are dramatic and the winds refreshing. The space is often used for evening drinks and entertaining. The stairwell’s skylight naturally ventilates the house, and the open riser stair aids in this effort and allows light to the lower level stair.
The studio on the second level of this refined cottage includes a stone countertop and sink for washing paintbrushes, a skylight for generous ambient light, bookshelves for a significant collection, and display shelves for items of special importance.
PHOTOGRAPHER Trent Bell Photography
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