After years of living in a well-preserved 1840s house in Down East, Maine, Vincent Montgomery and David Cadigan felt ready for a complete change. And in lieu of expensive finishes and fixtures, the interiors are fuss-free Yankee minimalist: all about space and views.
Photography by Sandy Agrafiotis via Bruce Norelius Studio.
We wanted to keep the footprint of the house very small and not do any blasting of ledges says Norelius who describes the 1 800 square foot structure as intersecting Lego cubes Large windows open up the living room level and the band of low windows...
...on the bedroom floor are meant to be the perfect height for when you re in bed or sitting at a desk That s Cadigan shaking out a blanket on the deck just a regular commercial membrane roof created from the lower part of the house
The entry off the carport (see below) opens to a compactly elegant mudroom hung with Sagatsune metal hooks.
Lighting designer Peter Knuppel, a neighbor, specified the lighting throughout, including the small recessed ceiling spots shown here: “He saw to it that the lights are exactly where you need them,” says Norelius.
Pine stairs lined with Tolomeo lights lead to the living room level.
The walls are just drywall–”we didn’t have the money for plaster”–painted Benjamin Moore White: “It’s absolutely neutral, no undertones of anything in it which is why I like it; it becomes a backdrop for the materials.” The careful work of builder Tobin Peacock, Norelius notes, was key to the project’s success.
The dining area overlooks a camouflaged simple kitchen: There’s a range (with a downdraft vent) and dishwasher concealed on the other side of the white island, which is one of two built of painted MFD with gray laminate counters.
Montgomery and Cadigan reduced their belongings to the bare minimum but kept a few standouts, including the grandfather clock.
Andersen Awning Windows were used throughout.
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The living room has sweeping views of the treetops and Mount Desert Island. Read Remodeling 101: 5 Things to Know about Radiant Floor Heating.)
The floating effect continues downstairs, where there are two identical bedrooms, each with a centered custom bed frame of painted MDF detailed with a combination headboard and desk.
The bedrooms are divided by a bare-bones bathroom with a custom vanity of painted MDF inset with a sink and topped with gray laminate (also used on the kitchen islands).
The house sits on a rising amid granite outcroppings and forest.
The driveway ends at the back of the house, where the carport is revealed.
“Every room has views, but this elevation is severe and architectural; it’s where the service areas, like the pantry and powder room and stair, are hidden.”
Norelius’s ingenious use of low-cost materials extends to the carport: Paved with gravel, it has a ceiling and wall of untreated cement board.