Houzz Tour: Minimalism in a Pastoral Mood

Local materials help a Connecticut farmhouse look right at home, while its simplicity fits the owners’ aesthetic

Matthew Ankeny May 19, 2014

Houzz Editorial Staff

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In Appalachian coal country, the abandoned mines stay, for the most part, quiet, but the caverns are far from still. Inside, laborers work silently, pressing forward. The shafts stripped of coal have become mushroom country, and here in the damp recesses of mineral-rich hills, the fungi thrive, and the boards on which they grow — the mushroom wood — has earned a place as a favorite among designers. Elizabeth Demetriades, of Demetriades + Walker, is one architect helping to propagate their popularity.

Demetriades believes that a home needs to listen to the land where it’s built. “The contextual inspiration for this house is rooted in the local vernacular,” she says. When the client sought her out to design a farmhouse home in the sloping hills of Lakeville, Connecticut, she did what was only natural. She looked at the land around her.

Demetriades + Walker

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of 4
Location: Lakeville, Connecticut
Size: 4 bedrooms, 4½ baths
Year built: 2011

The Connecticut farmhouse sits in plain view of a well-traveled road (the picture here was shot from the road), so Demetriades had the particular challenge of assimilating the home into the context of the landscape. She wanted the barn-like structure to look like it had sat on that land for centuries. She wanted people, when driving by, to think, “How long has that been there?”

Demetriades used aged cypress mushroom wood for the utility shed siding. For the main property, she chose rough-sawn tongue and groove cedar, custom dyed green (with a hint of blue) to blend with the hills.

Demetriades + Walker

Surrounding the property are fences made from locally sourced black locust, a hard, rot-resistant wood that fits the pastoral surroundings and the designer’s aesthetic. An outer fence was constructed as a Virginia fence, which is self-supporting and requires no fasteners. The pergolas, made of the same wood, provide shade around the property (in the seasons since construction, ivy has grown to offer greater protection from the elements) and tie together the outdoor spaces.

Demetriades + Walker

The smaller structure houses a utility shed, accessible from the sliding barn door; a woodpile with access on the rear; and a home office studio accessed from a separate entrance on the opposite side of the building.

The siding is mushroom wood, and the roof is wooden shake. The main house and utility shed are joined by a black locust pergola, and the area surrounding the structure was left unpaved to preserve the rustic feel of the grounds.

A pergola connects the two spaces and, after a few seasons of vine growth, provides shelter from sun, rain and other elements.

Demetriades + Walker

The entryway is light filled and minimalist. A Paul Chaleff pot, about 4½ feet tall, is the focal point as you enter the house. Chaleff is a local artist; the owners of the house wanted to maintain a modern minimalism inside while staying true to local culture.

Country-grade cherry lines the floors, a choice made for both its rustic quality and for the reduced waste. Compared with select cherry, country grade allows for imperfections, so more of the tree is able to be milled into floorboards.

Demetriades + Walker

The house was photographed just after completion and was still in the process of being furnished when these photos were taken. So while minimalism was an aesthetic the owners sought, the semivacant rooms are works in progress.

Looking to the internal structure of the home, the architect spent hours finding the right timbers to fit in the space, pulling them from local sources whenever possible.

The fireplace is constructed from local field stones gathered near the property, and the same rough-sawn cedar lines the ceiling, dormers and doorways. The aim was to make “the interior reminiscent of a hand-hewn barn,” Demetriades says.

Demetriades + Walker

The kitchen mixes traditional and modern elements. The Holophane lights bring an industrial feel to the space, along with the stainless steel stove. Demetriades believes that “when modern details interface with old materials, each of them look better,” she says, and the kitchen is a fitting example of the melding of the rustic and the new.

Demetriades + Walker

A GKD metal mesh fabric inlaid in the guardrail above the stairwell offers another level of play between materials. There’s the rustic quality of the reclaimed beams, the cherrywood floors, the metal inlays and the white walls, which were given a wax finish for an uneven sheen.

Wall paint: White Dove, Benjamin Moore

Demetriades + Walker

Mixing the traditional and the contemporary, the bathroom offers classic touches like the freestanding tub and modern touches like the frameless glass on the shower.

Under the sinks a stainless steel rack allows easily accessible storage for items like baskets and neatly rolled towels.

Empire Freestanding Tub: Waterworks

Demetriades + Walker

A sleeping porch sits off the master bedroom, allowing for open-air gatherings. The guardrail has the same style as the internal stairwell railing, tying the interiors and exteriors together. The flooring is ipe, while the tongue and groove eastern white pine ceiling reflects the bright light of the open space.

Over the railing the owners enjoy views of the downslope and open expanse of the Connecticut countryside.

Demetriades + Walker

Behind the house and down the downslope, an infinity pool allows for aquatic play. The pool is set nearly 6 feet below the house to be out of sight during the swimming off-season.