A Modern Stone House

A modern take on classic stone construction. The goal of this project was the construction of a new and modern house with proper two-foot thick stone exterior walls. Extensive gables and a steeply pitched roof work in concert to create a strong profile with a repeated triangular form. A cupola is the final motif capping the staggered two-car garage.

To construct this modern home required a great deal of preparation and planning. A key challenge was funding sufficient square facing stone to construct the exterior walls. Stones were salvaged from old barns and farmhouses from across the province to provide a sufficient supply. Construction of the walls used traditional techniques, laying perhaps 20 stones per day.

The interior of the house was designed to an equally high standard. Extensive built-ins were designed and constructed for offices and the master bedroom. An open central staircase elegantly connects all levels. An elegant and functional kitchen complete with island and beverage station opens onto the living room. A Rumford fireplace was constructed in the living room, a design that dates to the late 1700s. Adherence to this classic design allows a proper wood burning fireplace that burns very efficiently and cleanly and radiates heat well without a screen.

The elegant lines and traditional materials of stone, clapboard siding and cedar shingles combine to give a classic look to this spacious, modern home.