Every project begins with a vision – and this one was shaped through close collaboration with builder Greg Shain, landscape designer Lisa Zeder, and interior designer Joy Stowell. Together, we brought to life a two-story, open-concept equestrian-inspired residence grounded in simplicity, functionality, and a strong connection to its surroundings.

Initially conceived as a larger home with a basement, the design was ultimately reimagined through value engineering – refining the scope while preserving its integrity, character, and quality. The final program includes an attached garage connected by a breezeway, a detached pavilion and gym, a pool, and expansive gardens.

Now nearing completion, the home stands as a refined balance of ambition and restraint – and as one of the more contemporary expressions in our portfolio. Late last month, we gathered with our collaborators and the homeowners to celebrate the result. In this post, we’re highlighting a few of our favorite and most meaningful design elements, many of which helped define the home from the very beginning.

The Design

Inspired by horse farm vernacular buildings, we designed simple gable roofs, outbuildings, a tack room, and working gardens. Inside, light-filled spaces celebrate expansive windows, white oak floors, and subtle moldings.

Fire Resiliency

Fire resiliency is a focus of every home we design — and this one is no exception. Beneath fire-treated oak plank siding, we specified DensGlass wrap. A standing seam metal roof, steel doors and windows, integrated fire sprinklers, a steel pergola, and a five-foot-wide concrete “plank” boardwalk encircling the home further enhance its fire resistance.

Bringing the Outdoors In

Full-height, fully pocketing exterior doors at the living room and both offices dissolve the boundary between indoors and out. Throughout the home, every door and window is equipped with recessed, roll-down shades for sun control and privacy.

Statements with Steel

We placed steel fireboxes with pipe flues flanked by steel built-in cabinetry inside walls of glass at both ends of the living room and also in the primary bedroom. Spare and sculptural, they allow daylight to flood these rooms.

Concealing Electronics

Hidden from view when not in use, TVs in the living room rise from beneath the steel built-ins, disappearing again with the push of a button. In the primary bedroom, the TV retracts into the vaulted ceiling (as shown in the image below) for an electronics-free resting space.

The Stair

The staircase is crowned with a high window, bringing soft daylight into the center of the home. It is defined by a sinuous flat bar steel stair railing winding from first floor to upper hall over folded oak steps and risers.

As this farmhouse nears completion, we’re excited to see it become a home of memories, joy, and growth for our homeowners, and we’re grateful to have shared this journey with them. See more of our in-progress projects here.