A Family Home With An English Accent
The half-timbered house has been around since Medieval times, yet it continues to be one of the most beloved residential architectural styles. Beams, cross beams and braces are exposed, with the spaces between the timbers typically filled with stucco, brick or stone, many times in combination. It is this artful mix of materials that allows for unique compositions. But the real bonus of this style of construction is the ability to deftly control mass: big houses don’t loom, and small houses are given beguiling charm.
Usually associated with the romantic English countryside, this glorious aesthetic began to make regular appearances in the leafy suburbs of 1920s America. In this gentle giant of a storybook house, it feels as though time has stopped. Warm wood is everywhere, bringing the outdoors in and creating a lyrical habitat for happy family living. A soaring two-story central hall crowned by a library loft is both baronial and conducive to connectivity: one can get a sense of nearly every room in the house from a single vantage point.
By day, the structure recedes into the landscape, gracefully melding with surrounding trees and lawn and sky. By night, light dances from every pane of glass in the most dramatic fashion, made all the more magical and mysterious by the home’s many nooks and crannies, eaves, peaks and dormers.
Regardless of the season, the house maintains a timeless, storybook attitude that recalls the romanticism of a Currier & Ives engraving.
Richly stained window casings, paneling and flooring create an overwhelmingly cozy feel.
A consistent architectural vocabulary was desired throughout the house, including the kitchen. A light-colored island enlivens the space.
The second-story sitting area is given loft-like appeal with beautifully articulated beaming. A large fireplace with decorative tile surround anchors the room.