The work of early-twentieth-century local architect Royal Barry Wills—whose houses can be found throughout New England—inspired the aesthetic of this newly built home. Elegant and timeless, Wills’s designs often have a romantic, storybook quality, one captured here in the mix of materials, the various gables and dormers, and the tall chimneys.
The goal was to make the expansive house look like a relatively modest home that had been added on to over time. To that end, the central stone-clad gabled portion was conceived as an original cottage, with several stepped-back wings, some of them extending out at an angle, appearing as later additions.
Each of the wings uses the same mix of materials and similar gabled rooflines, ensuring that the entire ensemble coheres seamlessly. By canting slightly off the house’s main axis, the outermost wings create a sense of enclosure, making the entire house feel like it embraces both its wooded setting and its occupants.
