This incredible modern sustainable house was designed by Whitten Architects, situated in a neighborhood near Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport, Maine. A meandering drive leads to this stunning woodsy property with large ledge outcroppings. This is the personal home of the builder of this project, Geoff Bowley of Bowley Builders.

The homeowner’s needs centered around accommodating their growing young family, necessitating a spacious yet cozy playroom, a spacious pantry and storage area, a large garage, whimsical children’s bedrooms, and a private owner’s bedroom suite.

DESIGN DETAILS: ARCHITECT Whitten Architects BUILDER Bowley Builders INTERIOR DESIGNER Krista Stokes LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Soren Deniord Landscape Architecture LANDSCAPE INSTALLATION Terrapin Landscapes ENGINEERING Albert Putnam Associates MILLWORK Derek Preble KITCHEN DESIGN Henrybuilt WINDOWS Marvin Windows and Doors

A ledge outcropping was selected as the entry point at a high point of the site. The architect’s site-specific vision entailed positioning the house just east of south to maximize exposure to the sun’s rays, with the primary living spaces facing a sunny lawn bordered by a forested edge, ensuring supervised yet private playtime for the children.

A central courtyard-like design was conceived, featuring a garage wing and a bedroom wing connected by the primary living areas, generously adorned with glass panels, overlooking a north-facing courtyard where the house harmoniously blends with lush ferns and woodlands. The driveway remains discreetly concealed from the house by a wooded buffer.

The kitchen has convenient proximity to the arrival and entry sequence, providing expansive views of the play yard. The kitchen, dining, and living room spaces flow effortlessly in an open-concept layout, creating an inviting ambiance for family gatherings, with a vaulted space that feels spacious while maintaining a comfortable scale with its low slope ceiling.

Encouraged by the interior designer, the concrete flooring was tinted a subtle shade of green, enhancing its reflection of the surrounding wooded environment. The living room extends into a screened porch, seamlessly expanding the living space and inviting the outdoors inside.

What We Love: Throughout this modern sustainable house, a commitment to craftsmanship, meticulous attention to detail, and exquisite execution played pivotal roles in creating a stunning and harmonious dwelling. The designer did a fabulous job of curating furnishings and finishes that resulted in inviting living spaces for family living that perfectly complement the natural wooded landscape of the site.

Tell Us: What are your overall thoughts on the design of this dwelling? Let us know in the Comments below!

Note: Be sure to check out a couple of other fabulous home tours that we have showcased here on One Kindesign in the state of Maine: A 570 square foot steel cabin immersed in a beautiful Maine forest and Step inside this absolutely fabulous getaway house in coastal Maine.

The owner’s bedroom suite is located on the main level, offering easy access and convenience, while the second floor is dedicated to spaces designed with children in mind, such as bedrooms and a delightful playroom.

Strategically situated, the main living spaces bask in the ideal southern exposure, while the bedroom wing captures the morning light from the east.

Each child has their own room, accompanied by a generously shared kid’s bath. The laundry is positioned at the intersection of the kid’s wing and the owner’s bedroom suite, at the base of the stairwell on the main level.

One of the key design challenges involved protecting the sizeable south-facing door systems from inclement weather, while simultaneously allowing effortless access to the landscape. The architects solution was to create a deep exterior soffit that wraps down to become a porch and terimates at a screened porch. This clever design provides shade during summer months and promotes passive solar gain in winter, making the most of the lower sun angles.

Considering the wooded surroundings, low-maintenance materials were judiciously chosen, including a mix of painted white durable and treated pine siding mixed with mahogany elements, complemented by a durable metal roof.

PHOTOGRAPHER Trent Bell Photography