New Hampshire Home March-April 2021

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on the cover and page 58 A modern house inspired by Pacific Northwest contemporary design blends into the shores of Lake Sunapee. Bensonwood Home’s unique building techniques and a desire to respect the environment created both stunning views and a home that meets passive-house standards.

Photography by Jamie Salomon

features

48 In the Land of Poets and Wildlife

In the woods surrounding Eagle Pond in Wilmot—once the home of poet Donald Hall—is a carefully planned, energy-efficient house that proves modern design works in a rural New England setting. By Brion O’Connor

Photography by Jared McKenna

58 northeast Meets nor thwest A home inspired by contemporary Pacific Northwest style blends into the shores of Lake Sunapee. By Emily Heidt

Photography by Jamie Salomon

68 The 2021 Design Awards

We invited architects, designers and builders to submit their best projects in a range of categories from green design to kitchen remodels. Here are this year’s winners.

20 From the Editor

26 Favorite Finds Items for the Green Home By Amanda Andrews

32 home Cooking Quick Breads By Mary Ann Esposito

38 Inspiration A Nordic Retreat By Bill Burke

Photography by John W. Hession

82 Master of her Craft Lynn Szymanski By Bill Burke

88 Garden Rx Grow Your Own Microgreens By Robin Sweetser

95 home Resources

96 At home in new hampshire Lawn of the Dead By Bill Burke

Illustration by Carolyn Vibbert

residential commercial interior design

Amanda Andrews is a digital content editor and podcaster based in southern New Hampshire. She is also a freelance editor for several publications and can be reached at amandaandrews@comcast.net.

Bill Burke is a contributing editor at New Hampshire Magazine and the managing editor of custom publications at McLean Communications, the parent company of both New Hampshire Home and New Hampshire Magazine. He is also the author of travel advice books on Walt Disney World, which happens to be one of his favorite places.

Mary Ann Esposito is the host of the public television series “Ciao Italia,” now in its 29th season, and the author of 13 cookbooks, including her most recent, “Ciao Italia: My Lifelong Food Adventures in Italy.” She lives in New Hampshire. Visit her website at ciaoitalia.com.

Emily Heidt is the assistant editor at New Hampshire Magazine. A graduate of the University of New Hampshire, she now lives in Exeter.

John W. Hession is New Hampshire Home’s photo editor as well as a photographer and filmmaker specializing in architecture, design, food and advertising. He is currently working on a series of films for the New Hampshire Dance Collaborative. See his work at advanceddigitalphotography.com.

Morgan Karanasios is New Hampshire Home’s photographer. While she was a student in Dijon, France, she took photographs throughout Europe and continues to develop her passion for photography.

Jared McKenna started his career working as an architect before pivoting to commercial photography. He’s spent the better part of a decade specializing in architecture and creative product photography, with a focus on retouching and post-production.

Brion O’Connor is a freelance writer and journalist whose work has appeared in many publications, including Men’s Journal, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, The Boston Globe, The New York Times, Bicycling, Men’s Fitness, Boston Magazine, New Hampshire Magazine and numerous in-flight magazines.

Jamie Salomon has been taking photos for as long as he can remember. Whether shooting for interior designers, ad agencies, commercial clients or catalog companies, he brings the same sensitivity of light to the image, creating a truly unique style.

See more of his work at salomonphoto.com.

Robin Sweetser writes on gardening for the Sunday Concord Monitor and is a contributor to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, among other publications. A former Seacoast resident, she now lives and gardens in Hillsborough.

Carolyn Vibbert is a Portsmouth illustrator whose work also appears on packaging for food and wine brands such as Barbara’s, Stone Cellars and Williams Sonoma. She is represented by Freda Scott, and you can see more of her work at fredascottcreative.com.

MAKE THE MOST OF HOME

march/april 2021

Vo l. 15 | Number 2 N hh ome m agazine.c om Vice

Ernesto Burden e

Thoits A

Hession

Steere

Morgan Karanasios

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Jodie Hall, Nicole Huot

c ONTR i BUT ORS

Amanda Andrews, Bill Burke, Mary Ann Esposito, Emily Heidt, Jared McKenna, Brion O’Connor, Jamie Salomon, Robin Sweetser, Carolyn Vibbert

S AL

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c T OR Jessica Schooley (603) 413-5143 • (603) 345-2752 jschooley@mcleancommunications.com VP/c

Brook Holmberg

Mista McDonnell

Emily Samatis

Heather Rood

Connor

SPOND e N

Erica Thoits, editor New Hampshire Home 150 Dow Street; Manchester, NH 03101 (603) 736-8056 editor@NHHomeMagazine.com

S UBS c R i PT i ONS

Subscriptions, New Hampshire Home PO Box 433273; Palm Coast, FL 32143 call (877) 494-2036; subscribe online at NHHomeMagazine.com; or email NHHome@emailcustomerservice.com

Hampshire Home is published bimonthly by McLean Communications, Llc.; 150 Dow Street; Manchester, NH 03101; (603) 624-1442. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the publisher’s written permission is prohibited. The publisher assumes no responsibility for any mistakes in advertisements or editorial. Statements and opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect or represent those of this publication or its officers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, McLean Communications, Llc.: New Hampshire Home disclaims all responsibility for omissions and errors.

Don’t Forget to Celebrate

Marking life’s happier moments is more important than ever.

“Hanging wit H my pod people in an igloo is not a sentence I would have imagined a year ago, but here we are.” So reads the caption on one of the first photos I’ve posted on Instagram in quite some time. Well, other than shots of my neurotic cat doing something weird and inscrutable, or the latest dish I learned to cook (my quest for perfect crispy pan pizza continues). In other words, a rare photo of the world beyond the limits of my yard.

Our little pandemic group—my husband, me, our two friends and their two kids—went out to celebrate our birthdays, as all four adults were born somewhere between mid-January and the end of February. Brewery patio igloos, it turns out, are not overly spacious. Or comfy. Or really all that warm. We huddled in our plastic dome, cranked the heater and raised our glasses to another year on the Earth.

It was cramped, chilly and strange. It was also wonderful. I highly recommend it.

I was reminded that celebrating is important; perhaps even more so in a time filled with isolation, tragedy and grief. It’s been a dark year, and we need to find light wherever and whenever we can.

This is, in part, why we went ahead with the Design Awards. By shining a light on to some of the outstanding work happening here in New Hampshire, we hope we’re helping you find just a little more brightness.

It’s also comforting to know that despite the many uncertainties we’re facing, creativity is not only still possible, it’s thriving. That’s certainly worth celebrating, even if we can’t do so in person.

Our virtual awards event, held on January 20, was definitely strange, and at times a little awkward. Publisher Ernesto Burden and I stood in front of a green screen in our empty office, addressing an audience we couldn’t see, improvising mostly adequately (I hope) during a few

technical difficulties. Erin Fehlau and Tom Griffith we are not.

But after every award was announced, the winners appeared on the screen to give a short speech. It was not, clearly, the same as joining in on the applause as the winner takes the stage, shaking their hand as you step aside. Yet simply seeing happy faces, hearing their words of gratitude and thanks—it was another notso-small light I’ll hold onto.

None of this would have been possible without the many talented architects, builders and designers who entered this year’s awards—thank you to everyone who submitted. All of us at New Hampshire Home realize this has been a difficult year, both personally and professionally, and we’re grateful you spent the time and energy to share your best projects with us. It was wonderful to have a reason to celebrate, even if only through screens and here in the pages of the magazine. For those who are discovering for the first time who won (see page 68), at the very least, I hope you find a few moments of pleasant distraction and, better yet, perhaps some inspiration. All of the winning entries showcase the incredible talent you can find right here in New Hampshire.

I also hope you all find ways to bring a little light to your lives. Maybe that looks like hanging with your birthday bubble people in an actual bubble. Maybe it’s decking out your car in streamers and paint for a drive-by wedding reception, or learning some unnecessarily complicated French entrée to make with your partner on your anniversary. Whatever it is, I wish you the best, and I look forward to hosting you in person at the 2022 New Hampshire Home Design Awards. See you then.

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Warm Up and Chill Out With Quick Breads

Enjoy the comfort of baked goods without spending all day in the kitchen.

even though spring’s warmth is around the corner, we still have some chilly, blustery days to weather. These days always put me in the mood to bake. One of my favorite baking treats are quick breads, and as the name implies, they do not take too much time to make. Unlike yeast breads that require rising time, quick breads are good to go using baking soda or baking powder to give them a lift.

Quick breads appeared on the scene at the end of the 18th century when the Arm and Hammer company introduced baking soda and baking powder to the American housewife. Both are chemical leavening agents that will react with an acid to produce carbon dioxide, and that’s what makes quick breads rise. Quick breads include—among other things— biscuits, muffins, pancakes, scones, soda bread and that perennial favorite, banana bread.

In addition to baking soda or baking powder for leavening, almost all quick breads contain flour, eggs, sugar, butter (or some other type of fat) and liquid, such as milk. Depending on what you are making, the technique for mixing the ingredients will vary. There is the two-bowl method, where all the dry ingredients are mixed in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl. The two are gently combined because overmixing changes the texture from tender to tough.

This method is especially true for muffins. The second method is creaming, meaning that butter (or other fat) and sugar are combined until creamy looking, and then the remaining ingredients are added to the mixture. For many of us, quick breads conjure up memories of growing up. I, for one, loved the thick slices of moist banana bread that were often packed into my lunch bag, or the cornbread

By Mary Ann Esposito | Photography by John W. Hession

studded with raisins or cranberries, and slathered with butter that often accompanied a pot roast, stew or soup. And as much as I love and make quick breads often, I am really partial to Boston brown bread, usually served with baked beans and scones dabbed with jam or clotted cream. With a cozy cup of tea, any quick bread can take me though until spring is here to stay. NHH

Cranberry Cornbread Serve S 8

This super-fine textured cornbread is the result of grinding the cornmeal to a fine powder in a food processor. You can also make the recipe without this step, although the texture will be a little coarser. Either way, this cornbread is a favorite for teaming with a hearty soup or stew.

½ cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for buttering the pan

2/3 cup sugar

2 large eggs at room temperature

1 cup buttermilk

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh cranberries or ½ cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan with foil and butter the foil. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat ½ cup of butter with the sugar until it is creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well blended.

3. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and baking soda. Set aside.

4. Using a food processor, pulse to grind the cornmeal it until it is fine. Add the flour and salt, and pulse a few times.

5. Add half the cornmeal mixture to the bowl with the butter mixture and beat in. Add half the buttermilk mixture and blend in. Add the remaining cornmeal mixture and beat in. Add the remaining buttermilk mixture and blend in. Stir in the cranberries.

6. Pour the batter into the pan, and bake for 35-40 minutes until set and a cake tester comes out clean.

7. Remove the pan from the oven and cool. Serve the bread warm, cut into squares.

home cooking With Mary Ann Esposito

Brown

Bread Makes 2 loaves

Brown bread made its appearance in New England in the early 1800s and is attributed to the ingenuity of the Pilgrims, who used wheat, rye and oats to make what was called “thirded bread” because of the use of these three grains. Today’s brown bread has many variations and is frequently served with baked beans and hot dogs.

1 cup raisins

1 cup cornmeal

1½ cups wheat flour

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2½ teaspoons baking soda

2 cups buttermilk

½ cup molasses

1 egg, lightly beaten with a fork

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease or spray two 9-by-4-by-4-inch or two 11-by-4-by-2-inch loaf pans, or similar type baking pans.

2. Place the raisins in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Let the raisins soak for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the baking soda into the buttermilk. Then stir in the molasses and egg.

5. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Then fold in the raisins.

6. Divide and pour the batter into the loaf pans, filling them two-thirds full.

7. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean and the bread is nicely browned.

8. Remove the pans from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. When the pans are cool enough to handle, remove the loaves and allow them to cool completely. Serve the bread warm with butter or cream cheese, or to accompany baked beans.

Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito

True Blue Blueberry Muffins

Makes 6 large or 8 s M al ler M u ffins

Blueberry muffins are a family favorite, but only if they are topped with a crunchy, streusel topping that makes them extra elegant for breakfast or afternoon tea.

1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon

2/3 cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

Zest of 1 large lemon

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 large egg

1/3 cup half-and-half or light cream

1½ cups fresh blueberries

Streusel Topping

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a muffin tin with muffin papers; if using large paper liners, you will need 6. For smaller tins, you’ll need 8.

2. In a bowl, mix 1½ cups of flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and zest.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, egg, and half-and-half or cream. Add the oil and egg mixture to the flour mixture, and combine well.

4. In a small bowl, combine the blueberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour and toss to coat them. Fold the blueberries into the flour mixture, being careful not to mash them.

5. Divide and transfer the dough to the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the Streusel Topping liberally over the top of the muffins.

6. Bake for 25 minutes until the muffins have puffed up and browned. A cake tester inserted in the center of the muffins should come out clean. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

Streusel Topping

½ cup coarse white sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1. 1.Mix together all ingredients. Set aside.

Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito

Tutti Frutti Scones Makes 8

Rich tasting scones are my go-to for a Sunday morning breakfast with a piping hot pot of tea. For added flavor and texture, mix the dough with dried fruits and nuts.

2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring hands

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup sugar

4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into bits

¼ cup golden raisins or currants

½ cup dried apricots, cranberries, strawberries or blueberries

½ cup chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans or almonds

1¼ cups of heavy cream

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons coarse, white sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

2. In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, the salt and ¼ cup of sugar. Blend in 4 tablespoons of cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Mix in the raisins, dried fruit and nuts. Add the cream, and mix just until the mixture comes together as a sticky ball of dough.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and transfer the dough to the baking sheet. With floured hands, pat the dough into a 10-inch round. Brush the top with the melted butter, then sprinkle evenly with the coarse, white sugar.

4. Score the top of the dough with a knife to create 8 equal wedges. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

5. Remove from the oven and separate the wedges. Serve warm with jam or butter.

Recipe

courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito

Act Two

A Dublin home gets a second life as a Nordic retreat.

By

At first glance, it’s hard to tell the handsome, classic New Englander with the gable roof and barn-red exterior at the end of a long gravel driveway was once in need of dramatic renovation. But, this means architect-designer Katie Sutherland did her job.

Sutherland, of KCS Architects in Keene, worked with creative input from the homeowners to envision what the secluded home could become. Consider it a rescue.

“The house was a wreck when my clients purchased it,” Sutherland says. “It was the abandoned site of too many parties, debris and filth. There was a lot of staining on various finishes and smoke damage, and it was very dark inside.”

The homeowners had a vision for this diamond in the rough: to create a light and modern design that would take advantage of the natural views around the house and of Mount Monadnock. The homeowners were

fond of Nordic design and the light color palette with hues of blue it offers. The homeowners also wanted a comfortable bedroom suite; before the renovation, the second floor was divided haphazardly and “didn’t make a whole lot of sense,” Sutherland says. Sutherland came onboard the project in the fall 2014. A builder had already been selected, and a flexible architect was needed to help the renovation and vision come to life. The timing, as it turned out, was perfect.

“I was working in another office at the time, and the suggestion was that [the Dublin house] should be a freelance project—something I did on my own,” she says. This would be the second project Sutherland had done in the “freelance” realm, so she decided to start her own practice. As such, KCS Architects, led by Sutherland, got to work on the Dublin home.

The mission was to simplify and brighten, and the inspiration was strictly Scandinavian. The idea was to put a modern spin on the existing home—retaining the Yankee flavor

while creating a welcoming, brighter environment filtered through Scandinavian sensibilities.

“It’s the modernism of that Nordic region—including Norway, Sweden and Denmark—that started in the 1930s and is still used in design work today,” Sutherland says of the look. “It is minimalist and simple, based on functionality. The color palette of Nordic design tends to be light and neutral, most commonly monochrome, white, gray and blue.”

At the Dublin house, the result of this approach is evident immediately

I dislocated my knee just as the project got started and just as I began my new practice, which meant I needed to get a ride to all the job meetings and hop about on crutches.  My husband called me ‘Miss Daisy’ during those days.

”

—Katie Sutherland

Step through the door of this classiclooking, New England home and visitors are transported to a Nordic haven. It is an unexpected, pleasant sensation first experienced by looking past the cable railing and through the open stair.

“There was a lot of thought given to brightening the space, which was very dark when they purchased the house,” Sutherland says. “The windows face south toward Mount Monadnock, so we had a great start on bringing light in to the doubleheight space and the walk-out yoga space below.”

Lighter whites for the walls and ceiling as well as a light finish on the wood floors helped reflect back the natural light into the area around the dining room table. The previously dark-wood kitchen cabinets were painted white, transforming the kitchen entirely. Adding mirrors to the ground-floor level also did a lot to reflect light into the interior below

“There was also a lot of thought put into the window designs. (We considered) which parts would be operable and which parts would be ‘picture’ to take advantage of the views from the sitting area and other interior vantage points,” Sutherland says. “We wanted to be sure the view would not be interrupted by any window muntins or framing components from a seated or standing position.”

A wood stove was removed from the lower level, and windows and interior finishes were redone; mirrors were installed for a yoga and dance studio, which opens onto a landscaped lawn area.

On the first floor, the entry porch was refinished, setting the scene for what was to come.

Meet Katie Sutherland

“I have worked on many residential renovations throughout my career. My first projects were in New York City, where I worked for three years for one of my professors (1993–1996) before I went back to graduate school. I learned a lot there about maximizing space use. After getting my master of architecture degree from Yale, I worked in the Netherlands for some time, then New York City again, before coming to New Hampshire—which was never really part of my plan, until I met my husband, who lived here. I’m so glad it is now my home.”

“The white color scheme on the front porch was the homeowner’s idea,” Sutherland says. “I like the way it brings the lighter palette of the inside out. The focus on the opposite side of the house, in terms of window design, was to bring the outside in.”

Mudroom cabinets were renovated, and a sink and side-by-side laundry cabinets with folding counters were added. The existing kitchen and living spaces were renovated, and perhaps most dramatically, the window layout on the view wall was completely re-imagined.

“Mount Monadnock is pretty much right there,” Sutherland says of the signature view. “On a clear day, it’s right outside that big view window with nothing obstructing it.”

Both bathrooms—fixtures and finishes—were completely redone.

“For the master bath, we designed the layout and wanted it to feel spacious,” Sutherland says. “We used cabinets that are not full depth, with vessel sinks above them to maximize floor space. We floated a bathtub in front of the mirror and did a frameless glass shower so the room would feel more spacious than it is. We specified the plumbing fixtures and tile, also laying out the bathroom so natural views can be enjoyed from tub.”

Sutherland and her team then created a den and office suite, separate from the living space, adding steeltube railings at the stairs with lighter cable rails. Upstairs, she rearranged partitions to create a master suite and a master bath. A refinished guest bathroom, bedroom and closet were also rearranged.

The fireplace surround is Greek relief

in marble, brought from Europe and originally installed in another Dublin estate before coming home to its current location. The homeowners felt it

was important to maintain the white marble brilliance, offsetting it with handmade blue tiles around the firebox surround. A handmade wooden light over the dining room table was brought from Argentina—a kit of parts to be assembled.

“I love the Weplight designs and keep coming back to them,” Sutherland says.

The homeowners provided detailed input on what they hoped to achieve, especially with the furnishings and décor.

Working from this, “We provided guidance to a new second-floor layout to accommodate a more generous master suite, as well as finishes and details for the renovated stairs, railings, bathrooms, fixtures and lighting,” Sutherland says. “We also helped with window replacement design and structurally opening up the view wall so the view could be better framed. We helped with some of the furnishings, as I recall, perhaps with ordering, but the homeowners selected all the furnishings, area rugs and artwork.”

The project took nearly a year to complete, starting in November of 2014 and wrapping up in the autumn of the following year. Landscaping was completed the following spring and summer. When all was said and done, the home was reborn through the Scandinavian makeover while retaining its classic feel.

Sutherland’s favorite detail?

“Looking from the second-floor balcony down to the open living space below and the view outside beyond,” she says. “I like the way the first and second floors open up to each other.” NHH

In the Land of Poets & Wildlife

A rural setting and modern design come together in perfect harmony.

By Brion O’Connor

Eagle Pond in Wilmot once inspired poet Donald

and now it nurtures a different kind of creativity— architecture. This energy-efficient home, located on a 43-acre property, combines the best of modern design with a traditional rural New England setting.

TTo T he un T rained eye, the setting for Jessica Cook’s house and home office in Wilmot might seem to have come straight from a verse of a Robert Frost poem, or a poem written by a former neighbor and award-winning poet Donald Hall.

“He lived at the other end of Eagle Pond,” Cook says. “His poetry and writings really exemplify the spirit of the area as he experienced it but are also internationally known.”

For architects and builders, however, the home—which Cook shares with her architect husband, Scott McCullough; two young children, Elsie and Cassidy; plus a dog named Piney, a cat named Otto and six ducks—is not the product of a poet’s fertile imagination. Instead,

it is the result of careful, thoughtful design and fastidious construction, combining the best of its idyllic “traditional” New England setting and modern building techniques to create a self-sustaining home. In short, the house is a striking, technological marvel set amid nature’s woods.

“The property is 43 acres of rolling, forested hills,” Cook says. “After purchasing, we spent quite a bit of time determining the best site for the house. The long side of the house with the most glass was placed on a southern slope, which gave us the opportunity for a walk-out basement, and the gable with a lot of glass faces east toward the view of the back of Ragged Mountain.”

Given her surroundings, it’s little surprise that

The timber-frame home, made from hemlock cut from the property, allows for an open floor plan and plenty of windows—two key elements to making the 1,000-square-foot footprint feel much larger. The interior boards are eastern white pine, milled next door in New London.

Cook established her own architectural firm— Eagle Pond Studio—at the house in 2016. The home was a collaboration between Cook, a native of nearby Danbury, and McCullough, who is originally from Boston’s North Shore. The two met while attending Norwich University in Vermont, where Cook specialized in sustainable design. Initially, the couple was thinking of a part-time escape but professional serendipity changed those plans.

“After getting married, we originally wanted to buy property and build a small home to come to on weekends while visiting family in New Hampshire,” Cook says. “But getting the opportunity to work in New London early on in the process, the design changed to a fulltime residence.

“Our house is a good example of the architecture we felt was appropriate for the time, context, climate, site and current design technologies,” she says. “It really has been a good example of what is possible for modern design

in a rural setting and was somewhat forwardthinking for New Hampshire.”

Though having two architectural minds working on the same project might appear to be a benefit, it was critical that Cook and McCullough were on the same page throughout the process. “Luckily, we have a very similar philosophy about architecture and design,” Cook says. “It might be because we went to the same architecture school and had many of the same professors, who taught us about contextual design.

“We have both worked for some really thoughtful, residential designers throughout New England on very large, complex projects,” she says. “And we both have art backgrounds, like to learn new things and have creative minds.”

While the couple generally agreed on key components of the house, there were moments when compromise came into play

“We did debate having a walk-out basement, weighing the practical uses versus the aesthetics, but were able to design something that fit both

well,” she says. “As architects, it’s easy for us to draw or model iterations, and look at them to make a decision. That is a lot of what we do: draw and look at things to come to the appropriate version before being built.”

Initially, McCullough says the couple “didn’t focus too much on what the end result should be.” The final building, he says, is the product of the couple remaining true to the process, which in turn dictated the design.

“A simple form and an energy-efficient building were givens,” McCullough says. “A timber frame milled from the site wasn’t the easiest way to frame a house, but it was something we were committed to. A passive-solar approach told us where to put most of the glass.”

The result is a house that “has a very simple plan shape and roof line, and benefits from

the efficiency of building up rather than out,” Cook says.

“Buildings, and the systems that go into them, are complicated, especially in a cold climate, like New Hampshire. So keeping a simple vernacular form was important,” she says. “It’s a timber frame, with hemlock cut and milled from the property, allowing for an open [floor] plan and large pieces of glass, which help to make a 1,000-square-foot footprint feel much, much larger.”

The resulting structure is a 2,000-square-foot home and office with three floors (including a partially finished basement that houses Cook’s work space and guest sleeping space that’s being eyed for a future family room), three bedrooms and two full baths.

The couple’s favorite rooms are the open-

concept living space and the owners’ bedroom, both of which boast large panes of insulated glass that welcome waves of natural light. From the owners’ bedroom, the couple “were able to view the Geminid meteor shower from our bed through our large, east-facing window. Pretty amazing,” McCullough says. “We’ve also woken up to a flock of turkeys roosting in the trees out the same window.”

To meet established “passive-house” standards, the structure was built with recycled insulation board, layered throughout the roof and walls for a continuous and tight assembly. The couple invested in weather-proofing gaskets and taping around those banks of triple-glazed windows, creating an air-tight house, which in turn reduces energy costs.

“We used a heat-recovery ventilator to intro-

duce pre-heated fresh air,” Cook says. “There is radiant, in-floor hydronic heat in the basement and first-floor slabs—none of which needs to be used unless we are away in the winter, as we primarily heat with the sun and a small wood stove,” Cook says. “The concrete foundation is insulated in the concrete wall with a thermomass system, so you can see the exposed concrete on both sides, which we preferred as architects. There are 14 solar panels on the roof. The house [uses] no fossil fuels, getting us to net zero.”

To make sure the house was built to their exacting specifications, the couple also took on the role of general contractors (taking advantage of McCullough’s experience in the building trades while attending Norwich). This decision gave the couple uncommon control of the build process.

“It helped that we were married but hadn’t had

Clever use of space helps make this 2,000-squarefoot home feel much larger. For example, the tub is located beneath a window in the bedroom, and storage space was built into the bath.

children yet, so we could dedicate a lot of time and effort to the project,” Cook says. “Many of my family members are in the trade, and my brother just happens to be an extremely smart and hard-working carpenter.”

Kolt Cook, of Kolt J. Cook Carpentry in Danbury, helped the couple “with everything from pouring and power troweling the basement concrete slab, installing timber-frame elements, welding steel beams, building custom cabinets, and installing a complicated floating stair and catwalk system. Plus coordinating the installation [of the] radiant, floor-heating system,” Jessica Cook says.

In short, Cook and her husband worked with a number of trusted subcontractors who allowed them to take on the role of contractor with confidence. For most homeowners, however, she recommends hiring an experienced general contractor

“[Contractors] are worth their weight in gold during the process,” Cook says. “Building something that has never been built before is a long, complicated, expensive process, with a lot of

decisions to make and a lot of coordination. The amount of time I spent purchasing the correct size, amount and color of screws alone was astounding.”

Since the couple didn’t have an unlimited budget, they needed to prioritize how best to spend their initial investment. They decided to focus on the building’s shell, using durable materials that would deliver long-term cost savings.

“Active building systems don’t often get a lot of cost consideration but can easily add significant cost,” McCullough says. “Lots of heating zones, lighting control systems, audio-visual systems are more common than they used to be. Our house is very ‘bare bones’ in that regard, which helped the budget.”

However, Cook and McCullough didn’t ignore aesthetics, showcasing the natural woods that were gathered from their property. The boards for the exterior siding came from the extra hemlock left from the timber framing, milled to a 1-inch thickness. The interior boards are eastern white pine, milled next door in New London. The interior walls were finish in a linseed oil with a white pigment, with zero VOCs (or volatile organic compounds). The main stair treads and catwalk floor are also made from local hemlock.

“We love living here and are lucky to have such a good example to show clients,” Cook

says. “The efficiency measures we [employed] are paying dividends now that we are home all the time.

“The house as a whole and the consistency of choices that we made as architects are really what make this house great,” she says. “We strive to achieve this for our clients as well. That is sometimes why we might say ‘no’ to a client who is making a choice inconsistent with the original intention of a design, because we know in the end, the consistency is what will make the home timeless.”

That timelessness, Cook says, is central to the very definition of sustainability.

“I always come back to sustainable design, which is what we learned about in architecture school,” she says. “To me, successful sustainable design is something that people will love and protect for their lifetime, and want to pass to the next generation. That’s the most important thing.

“If you make a place special enough that people want to take care of it, you have succeeded,” Cook says. “I see that with my clients. They want to create something that their children and grandchildren will continue to enjoy.” NHH

Resou R ces

Jessica Cook, AIA • Eagle Pond Studio (603) 456-8553 • eaglepondstudio.com

Kolt J. Cook Carpentry • Danbury

Building something that has never been built before is a long, complicated, expensive process, with a lot of decisions to make and a lot of coordination.

The

—Jessica Cook “ ”

exterior siding is made from the extra hemlock left over from the timber framing. There are 14 solar panels on the roof, and no fossil fuels are used, helping the home get to net zero.

N ortheast N orthwest

This Lake Sunapee house was designed with efficiency and an eye to honor the natural beauty that surrounds it.

By Emily Heidt

wWhen this ne W hampshire couple began dreaming about their new lakeside home in Sunapee, two words kept coming to mind: simplicity and sensibility.

“I grew up in Seattle and have always been drawn to the Pacific Northwest contemporar y design,” one homeowner says. “We knew we wanted to combine the clean, minimal lines and design elements that you would find in the Northwest with the breathtaking views and landscape that you find in the Northeast.”

The couple spent years on one side of the lake with their family, but they were missing out on the stunning sunsets that Lake Sunapee is known for. When a 1950s Deck House that would give them their desired sunset views became available in 2012, they knew it was time to move. They spent four years developing a vision that would give them a solid foundation to build on, and they worked with Bensonwood Homes of Walpole to bring that vision to life. Their plan: build a new, Northwest-inspired home that felt like a house in the woods and honored the land around it.

“It’s all about the views for us,” one homeowner says. “We wanted to create an open-concept, contemporary home, but we also wanted to respect the topography of the house and land itself in the building and design process. We didn’t want to dig in and ruin the land; we wanted to work around it—instead of making it work for us. We wanted the inside and outside of the house to feel as one.”

A minimized carbon footprint was important to the couple from the start. “Health is a big driving force of our design and the science behind our building process,” says architectural designer Curt Taylor of Bensonwood. “We always gear towards low VOC by using everything from nontoxic finishes on timbers and floors to cellulose insulated panels to materials that are wood-based and sourced from sustainable forests or other recycled materials. This level of intentionality throughout keeps both the environment and the homeowners happy and healthy.”

Architect Chris Adams says the adventurous couple wanted a comfortable home that reflected the natural beauty of the surrounding area year-round.

“We knew they were there to enjoy the lake, so we planned the house to cascade down and open up toward the lake,” Adams says. “We wanted to make sure the design was consistent—from the open entryway to the stairway that looks down over the open living room, to the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lake. We wanted to make sure each part of the house flowed into the next, from top-to-bottom and roomto-room.”

Through the front door, visitors are welcomed by a natural entryway with oak flooring and a contemporary stairway with light stainless-steel railing for a clean look. After the entryway, the interior mirrors that of the exterior— long linear lines, deep overhangs, and natural finishes and textures that reflect the circulation and movement of the lake, with the

first-floor living space being the focal point.

The unique timberframe structure of the house drove the design and layouts, and became something of a template for Bensonwood Homes’ new product, OpenHome. “[The Lake Sunapee] home is often referenced for its use of natural finishes, the layout and its energy performance, which are all aspects that we were able to tie into OpenHome,” Taylor says. “The product allows the homeowner to design and build their home faster, using flexible predesigned and engineered components used in this Lake Sunapee house that they can scale and adapt to their personal site and lifestyle. We were able to look back at this project and take what worked so

well—like the minimal, relaxed feel of the space—into future OpenHome projects.”

That relaxed, minimal feel continues with the interior design. Designer Jenny Fulton’s plan was to carry the soothing elements from the lake into the overall feel of the space. She achieved this by using natural earth tones and carefully placed pieces of art.

“A lot of the décor was out the window, so we wanted to make sure the interior was in dialogue with the exterior,” Fulton says. “We knew we didn’t want to overwhelm the room, but let it speak for itself.”

Fulton chose the simple lines of Shaker-inspired materials and furniture pieces, and the homeowners added a few Asian-inspired art

Left: The kitchen emphasizes the home’s simplicity and sensibility. The island countertop is honed brown antique granite, while the perimeter is honed black pearl granite, fabricated and installed by Creations in Stone in Swanzey.

pieces for the wall and to sit on top of the fireplace to evoke a calming Zen sentimentality.

The gas fireplace—which can stand on its own as a statement piece—is another spot where the family can showcase art, and also happens to be an ideal place to rest your glass of wine as you take in the view.

“We built the fireplace to be a grounding feature in the living room and to be a place to gather around in the winter,” Adams says. “The design and selection was a reflection of tying in the linear design of the house, opening up the corner toward the lake, and reinforcing the horizontal

theme with the wood plank.”

The large windows are the other eye-catching elements of the room, which Adams chose to be suitable both for summer and cold New England winters. “Along with making sure the windows were properly sealed, thick, airtight and energy efficient so air couldn’t leak in, we added a radiant slab on the first floor to heat the whole floor and maintain comfort in the winter,” he says.

The radiant slab is efficient in itself, but it’s the windows that keep the house 70 to 80 percent more efficient than the average home. “We went away from the average double-pane window that

you see in a traditional home and used a European style, triple-pane window instead,” Taylor says. “The triple-glazed windows were used in combination with the robust and densely insulated, airtight building shell so the homeowners could be comfortable. The windows also will help keep that glass of wine sitting by the gas fireplace from chilling or heating due to drafts.”

Fulton also looked for unique places to have a “giggle,” a code word of sorts for the homeowners’ use of eggplant purple throughout the home—like the rug in the main living space. “Eggplant purple was their ‘giggle’,” says Fulton. “It was one of the homeowners’ favorite colors and a way of adding extra life to the space. Our intention was to have it start in the living space and evolve throughout the house, from the ceiling tile in the bathroom to the backsplash in the kitchen.”

Adams designed the kitchen with the same minimalist style and clean lines as the rest of the home, and added off-black, honed granite countertops and simple appliances to complement the eggplant backsplash. “The tile has a faceted surface, so it bounces light like the surface of the lake does and is reminiscent of wavelets,” Fulton says.

“We made sure all the surfaces in the house had a little bit of interest and some play of light to offset the neutral colors used throughout. Nothing is just flat.”

Since the couple enjoy entertaining in the kitchen, it was also important to create a space with features that gave them a sense of ease when they are hosting.

“It always bummed me out when I was in the kitchen and guests were in the living room enjoying themselves,” one homeowner says.

“Now, I have an effortless, workable area that people can easily

gather in—and multiple people can even work with the addition of the extra sink in the corner. We also made sure to add ‘appliance garages’ to house items like a coffee maker or toaster, so the counter space can remain tidy, organized and clean.”

Making good use of space was a big part of their vision, and was even more important in the bathroom and bedroom design.

“We didn’t want the size of the house to get out of hand too quickly,” one homeowner says.

“My husband and I don’t usually spend a lot of time in our bedroom, so we were able to make up space by down-sizing the bathrooms and our master bedroom. We were able to use that extra space in the first-floor bathroom to make it handicap-accessible, knowing one day, we might need to make the first-floor bath and bedroom our master bedroom.”

The first-floor bedroom and bathroom were designed as a guest den and dual-purpose room, complete with clean, contemporary styling. Throughout the house, each of the four bathrooms includes the same neutral, earth tones and textured, honed countertops.

“We made sure to carry the clean, modern design into the bathrooms,” Adams says. “We hung the vanities on the wall to give it a linear feel, and the showers and cabinets picked up on the moving, horizontal design aesthetic.”

The natural tile and stones used throughout the bathrooms were part of Fulton’s goal of making sure the interior was in constant communication with the exterior of the house. “From the kitchen to the entryway, to the tiniest details in the bathroom—like the unique doorstop we used in the first-floor bathroom—each space had to be in

step with the couple’s vision,” Fulton says. “We made sure the design reflected a conversation between the outdoors and the indoors.”

The exterior features similar styling as the interior—a low slope roof, timber rafters and the consistent railing design for the master bedroom’s deck all speak to the Pacific Northwest’s contemporary design. “There is a nice honesty of structure that we built into the outside of the house,” Adams says. “It was built with durability and longevity in mind, especially with the protected outdoor spaces. So the home will be warm, comfortable and relevant for years to come, and for the couple’s kids to enjoy one day with minimal maintenance.”

One thing the lakeside refuge has proven: sticking with simplicity and sensibility pays dividends in the end. “There are many moments throughout the planning,

working, designing and building process that can easily distract you and pull you off track,” one homeowner says. “It’s important to have a team around you that can keep you close to your vision through every decision and every challenge. It was a joy to honor that Northwest-inspired dream of a house in the woods that respects the land. My husband and I are looking forward to retiring, sitting back and enjoying the view in the years to come.” NHH

Resou R ce s

Bensonwood Homes • (603) 756-3600 bensonwood.com

Chris Adams • (603) 313-8225

chrisadamsarchitect.com

Jenny Fulton • (347) 452-0293

Pellettieri Associates, Inc. • (888) 826-2275

pellettieriassoc.com

Cheshire Glass Company • (603) 357-8889

cheshire-glass.com

Creations in Stone • (603) 357-2260

creationsinstoneofkeene.com

Left: The private deck off the master bedroom provides a quiet getaway to contemplate nature.

Above: The view on arrival gives glimpses of the water while the contemporary house follows the curves of the land, cascading down the lake.

Distinguished Design

These outstanding projects and the professionals who realized them were recognized at the eighth annual New Hampshire Home Design Awards in January.

“Aren’t you worried about running out of things to feature?”

I hear a version of this question fairly often, and the answer is no, not at all. What I actually worry about is finding the time and space to share the many worthy projects that can be found in all regions of the state.

The Home Design Awards are evidence of how deep the well of outstanding work goes. For eight years, New Hampshire Home has highlighted exceptional architects, builders and designers, asking judges to make the hard calls in order to whittle the field of submissions down to the handful of winners. And, once again, that was certainly no easy task.

DESIGN AWARDS

To determine this year’s winners, we asked a jury of professionals—George Fellner of Fellner Associates Architects, Sharon McCormick of Sharon McCormick Design, Phil Barlow of To Design and H. Keith Wagner of Wagner Hodgson Landscape Architecture—to review the entries, which were kept anonymous.

The winners were announced on January 20 during a virtual presentation. Everyone at New Hampshire Home wishes we could have celebrated in person; still, it was an honor to recognize the people behind these impressive projects.

Thank you to those who submitted projects for consideration. Although we can’t include everything in these pages, know that your work continues to inspire us. We hope to see you next year.

about our ju D ges

Architect George Fellner, principal of Fellner Associates Architects in East Haddam, Connecticut

George Fellner is the principal of Fellner Associates Architects with a body of residential, commercial, institutional and municipal projects spanning 30 years. His residential work has been featured in a series of books by E. Ashley Rooney. Fellner has also lectured extensively on sustainable design, the environment, architectural history and photography. He taught a course on sustainable design at the University of Hartford and served as American Institute of Architects (AIA) Connecticut president in 2017.

Landscape architect Phil Barlow, of To Design, LLC in New Britain, Connecticut

Phil Barlow is a licensed landscape architect and certified planner who has spent the last 31 years as principal of To Design. His firm focuses on public landscapes, including schools, parks, streets and affordable housing sites. To Design has been recognized with numerous awards from organizations including the Connecticut chapters of the American Society of Landscape Architects, AIA and the American Planning Association, as well as the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation.

Interior designer Sharon McCormick, of Sharon McCormick Design in Glastonbury, Connecticut

Sharon McCormick founded Sharon McCormick Design in 2002. The firm specializes in designing primary and secondary homes for East Coast executives, a natural extension of McCormick’s prior careers as a CPA and CFO. She is a founding board member of Design Trust Ltd., a national organization of interior design CEOs and industry leaders.

Landscape architect H. Keith Wagner, of Wagner Hodgson Landscape Architecture in Burlington, Vermont, and Hudson, New York

Since founding Wagner Hodgson in 1987 in Burlington, Vermont, H. Keith Wagner has led the firm to be a diverse practice with a formidable reputation. With over three decades of experience, Wagner’s award-winning work spans all project types. His extensive work has been widely published. He is also active as a visiting professor at ESF – Syracuse University, a design juror and frequent lecturer. In 2009, Keith was elected to the Council of Fellows of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

Excellence in Architectural Design: Modern HOME of the Y E ar

Winner: Shoreland Overlook

Tom Murdough of Murdough Design in Concord, Massachusetts • (978) 341-4100 • murdoughdesign.com

This unique and multiple award-winning home in Center Harbor utilizes the stunning lake views and surrounding area to meld architecture with the landscape to create an idyllic setting. Built for a couple, the home also serves as a retreat for their entire network of family, friends and colleagues. Able to accommodate more than 16 people, the space is perfect for corporate retreats, musical performances, poetry readings, dinners, parties, and other social and professional gatherings. Minimal clearing as well as the use of natural and modern materials resulted in a home immersed in the forest. It’s clear that paramount importance was given to creating outdoor living spaces and connections with the area’s natural beauty.

What the judges said: At the first glance, one can perceive there is a significant magnitude of design sensibilities exhibited by this lakeside home. The multiple volumetric elements are carefully sited with the natural wooded landscape with well-planned views of the lake. The juxtaposition of these forms allows for a perpetual dialogue with the site, and the connecting roof and deck elements correlate with the outdoor spaces. Through the combined use of expansive windows, interior vistas and natural, crafted finishes, the interior spaces are well integrated for the living and retreat program functions. This home certainly provides a lasting impression.

Excellence in Architectural Design: Traditional

Winner: Meredith Gateway

Jeremy Bonin of Bonin Architects & Associates in New London • (603) 526-6200 • boninarchitects.com

Creative and environmentally sensitive design solutions resulted in a cottage-style home that successfully blurs the line between inside and out. The orientation and interior design of the rooms further places the emphasis on the lakeside views.

What the judges said: This contemporary interpretation of the cottage type offers a surprising use of vernacular elements through the gabled and shed roof forms, along with a generous use of brackets, balcony, pergola and façade surfaces. The finely detailed, white interior spaces seem to comfortably flow within this home.

Excellence in Green Design

Honorable Mention: Easy Being Green

Lassel Architects in South Berwick, Maine (207) 384-2049 • lasselarchitects.com

From solar panels and oversized windows that bolster natural light to the timing of construction—during autumn to avoid disturbing wildlife—special care was taken to ensure this seacoast home has a minimal impact on the environment.

What the judges said: The simple box form of this three-story home is well-suited, providing an optimal building volume and envelope as a response to energy requirements, while still offering quite a generous amount of glazing. The magnitude and integrated use of sustainable strategies is to be commended.

Excellence in Interior Design

Winner: Wisteria Place

Rob Carty and Cristina Johnson of TMS Architects in Portsmouth (603) 436-4274 • tmsarchitects.com

The homeowner’s goal was to extend the master closet and bath by taking over the space of a fourth bedroom. The overall color palette involved simple whites and grays to keep the spaces airy, modern and peaceful. In addition to custom millwork, TMS Architects assisted in selecting paint, tile, countertops, cabinet hardware, door hardware, lighting fixtures, plumbing fixtures, window treatments and some furnishings.

What the judges said: The design of the updated expansion of the master bathroom and closet seems to provide a spacious, contemporary and quiet flavor through the use of light gray and white surfaces within this Colonial home. The storage components especially resonate, and are both functional and visually enticing.

Excellence in Kitchen Design: New Construction

Winner: Peaceful Beach Retreat PKsurroundings in Exeter • (603) 817-6347 • pksurroundings.com

As lifelong collectors of antiques, the homeowners wanted this space to have the feeling of old charm, which is achieved with the use of tranquil colors and natural materials. What the judges said: This kitchen has an open and inviting flavor with a sophisticated level of detailing. It is clear that much attention was given to the soft, light color patterns of surfaces as well as to the design of the appliances and the multiple storage elements.

Excellence in Kitchen Design: Renovation

Winner: Harbor Inspired Kitchen

PKsurroundings in Exeter • (603) 817-6347 • pksurroundings.com

Although this condo overlooks Portsmouth Harbor, the original, small kitchen was walled off, blocking the view. The goal was to open the space, making the kitchen part of the great room beyond so the owners could take full advantage of the views.

What the judges said: It is refreshing to encounter a kitchen that is bold and striking, while elegantly responding to the outside bridge source for inspiration. The use of the zigzag wine storage, metal elements and details, along with the charcoal cabinets, warm undertones and frosted glass integrally work well to present quite a unique kitchen environment.

Honorable Mention: Farmhouse in the City

PKsurroundings in Exeter • (603) 817-6347 • pksurroundings.com

This kitchen, which was once awkward and dated, is now spacious and inviting with just the right combination of comfort and sophistication.

What the judges said: This kitchen reborn offers the rejuvenated flavor of a modern farmhouse with a fine mix of materials and details. The use of a rustic wood beam and oak floor, white and gray cabinets, metal hardware, along with a quartz countertop and generous backsplash with organic patterns offer a new life for this kitchen.

Excellence in Outdoor Design

Winner:

Three Seasons Outside on Alton Bay

Hayden McLaughlin of Belknap Landscape in Gilford • (603) 528-2798 • belknaplandscape.com

Successfully combining practicality with aesthetics, this sunken fire pit offers uninterrupted views and helps reflect warmth, which allows the homeowners to enjoy their outdoor space well into the colder months.

What the judges said: As an outdoor space, this sunken fire pit provides an intimate communal place for gathering and enjoying the timeless experience of a warm fire with a beautiful lake view. The use of natural stone—including the pillars for wood storage, massive armrests, veneer, capstones and patio—works well with this circular plan and is complemented by the connecting, access stone steps.

Excellence in Remodeling/Renovation Design

Winner: Summer House

Lafe Covill of TMS Architects in Portsmouth • (603) 436-4274 • tmsarchitects.com

A number of challenges (wetland adjacency, quirky rooflines, living space limited to the second floor) needed to be overcome in this project, ultimately making the end result all the more impressive.

What the judges said: This home certainly underwent a significant transformation. While maintaining the existing quirky angles, the new elements—including exterior finish materials, form elements, doors and windows, glass rails, and pergolas and brackets— effectively create a house reborn. The redesigned, new deck forms—replacing mundane decks—now serve as integrated elements that reinforce the overall design composition.

Excellence in Small Home Design

Winner: Mighty Views

Shannon Alther of TMS Architects in Portsmouth • (603) 436-4274 • tmsarchitects.com

Each design element was carefully planned to transform an existing 340-square-foot condo into a one-of-a-kind retreat with outstanding ocean views. By utilizing interior and exterior spaces as efficiently as possible, the designers created a simple, yet intricate residence with a spacious feel.

What the judges said: This transformation demonstrates the possibilities for retreat living in a small home. The intentional use of a 12-foot-wide door system, which can completely open, effectively allows for convenient indoor/outdoor living during the warm seasons. The interior exhibits a comfortable, spacious and enticing environment that is both integrative and flexible with well-designed features.

Excellence in Specialty Design

Winner: Ski Room

Randy Trainor of C. Randolph Trainor Interiors in Franconia • (603) 823-8133 • crtinteriors.com

Storage, style and functionality meld to create a sophisticated and practical space for a ski-loving family to change in and out of ski boots as well as to store their gear.

What the judges said: This design illustrates how an unfinished storage and laundry room can be turned into a new ski room. With consideration of a series of physical challenges, this space expertly handles both pragmatic access and storage as well as the various aspects expected of a ski room. The use of wood, granite and dark tile materials, along with the carefully designated lighting effects, works quite well.

Thank you

to everyone who helped make the New Hampshire Home Design Awards a resounding success! Congratulations to all of the 2021 winners, and a special thanks to this year’s event sponsors:

Hall of Fame

2021

Meet some of this year’s and past years’ winners of the New Hampshire Home Design Awards — architects, interior designers, kitchen and bath designers, landscape architects and designers, builders, and others whose awardwinning projects make homes in New Hampshire both functional and beautiful.

Christopher P. Williams Architects, PLLC meredith, New hampshire (603) 279-6513 • cpwarchitects.com

Our award-winning team of Leed -certified architects has provided innovative and environmentally friendly design solutions to clients throughout New england since 1984.

No matter what your goals may be, our staff is dedicated to building homes that meet your needs, budget and lifestyle. we will make your dream home a reality.

Our firm specializes in sustainable building practices, and we offer expertise in incorporating solar, geothermal and other green systems into client projects that enhance and protect ecosystems and conserve natural resources. with sensitivity to landscape and building site requirements, we strive to bring together the beauty of the exterior surroundings with the warmth and comfort of your home. Visit us at cpwarchitects.com to view our portfolio.

Belknap Landscape Company

gilford, New hampshire (603) 528-2798 • belknaplandscape.com

Belknap Landscape of Gilford, New Hampshire, is well-known for its creative, quality, hand-built outdoor living spaces. This example in Alton is no exception.

Featuring a sunken fire pit as a point of interest and primary feature, this landscape is a great place to entertain, relax, and enjoy the Winnipesaukee views through three seasons. The designer and property owners selected natural materials for their durability and beauty. Careful consideration was given to assure uninterrupted views and offer an uncommon take on a common outdoor feature. The landscape offers a function the property owners enjoy using with a form they enjoy viewing.

Low-voltage lighting was utilized to assure the outdoor space is safe and usable during the evening. The inclusion of downlighting and spotlights provides visual interest at night while reducing light pollution.

Pathways from the main house to the fire pit, dock and waterfront were realized by using stepping stones and

granite steps, keeping with the theme of using natural materials. Their placement lends a rustic appearance while also providing significant permeable surfaces to reduce runoff and protect the lake water quality.

As a three-time winner of the Excellence in Outdoor Design award, Belknap Landscape is proud to continue offering design, construction and maintenance services to discerning clients in the greater Lakes Region area.

“When I started this company in 1989, I wanted to offer great people a great experience, and the best outcomes possible,” says Hayden McLaughlin, owner of Belknap Landscape. “It’s honors like these that let me know we’re still following through on that sentiment today.”

To learn more about Belknap Landscape, go to belknaplandscape.com.

To speak to client services and design professional place call (603) 528-2798.

Crown Point Cabinetry

CLaremON t, N ew hampshire

(800) 999-4994 • crown-point.com

Family owned and operated, Crown point Cabinetry handcrafts the finest quality custom cabinetry for your entire home. we are the only custom cabinetmaker in the country that sells direct to homeowners, custom builders, remodelers and designers nationally and internationally. One-inch thick doors, drawer fronts and face frames. american black walnut interiors in every base cabinet, wall cabinet and tall cabinet. work directly with one of our talented and award-winning, in-house design professionals. made in New hampshire.

2020 h onorable mention for a rchitectural Design, 2019 W inner for small home D esign

Old Hampshire Designs, Inc.

New L ON d ON, New h ampshire (603) 526-6945 • oldhampshiredesigns.com

Old hampshire designs, inc. has been designing and building homes since 1984. this quintessential lakeside cabin was designed to use timber harvested directly from the property on Blaisdell Lake. it features a welcoming open floor plan and loft, spacious covered porch overlooking the lake and a fully equipped wet bar complete with retro-designed appliances. fourteen thousand board feet of lumber was harvested and milled from the property and includes white pine for the exterior siding and trim, interior walls and ceilings as well as red oak flooring and interior decorative trim

and baseboards. Oak trees from the property were also used for porch posts, interior support and decoration and stair railings. the keystone from the original 1901 fireplace was saved and replaced in the new artfully crafted design. this efficient cabin is a classic testament to preserving New hampshire’s unique Lakes region history, conservation and living comfortably in a small footprint.

2021 winner for home of the year: shoreland overlook, 2021 winner for m odern a rchitecture

Murdough Design

Con C ord, Massa C husetts (978) 341-4100 • murdoughdesign.com

Murdough Design conceived of the home as a place to gather in nature for a couple and their extensive network of family, friends and professional colleagues. Immersed in the landscape overlooking the idyllic Squam Lake shoreline, the house accommodates 16-plus guests and allows for diverse use, from corporate retreats to intimate musical performances to family gatherings. With movement through the building, spaces and views unfold progressively through a framework of linked vantage points and framing devices. Architecture and landscape are intertwined, blurring distinctions between interior and exterior. This occurs especially at pivot points where geometries of adjacent buildings are connected, such as the entry breezeway and the covered bridge. The materials palette is natural and modern. Craft, detailing and construction details create a quiet architecture that has minimal visual

impact on the lake front and prioritizes an experience of immersion and connection to the natural site. Strong relationships and trust between the client, the builder and the architect made this project a success.

Wood & Clay, Inc.

g ILfor D, NeW H A mpSHIre (603) 524-3128 • woodandclay.com

Wood & Clay, Inc. specializes in architecturally unique, custom home construction and renovations in the Lakes region of New Hampshire. founded in 1979 by area native John robinson, Wood & Clay is now owned and operated by the next generation, husband-and-wife team, Kevin Beland and Shannon robinson-Beland. Kevin and Shannon, joined by their dedicated team with over 200 years of combined experience, are proud to uphold Wood & Clay’s long-standing reputation as a leading Lakes region builder—a reputation built on integrity, transparency and quality.

With diligence, creativity and fine attention to detail, Kevin and Shannon guide each project from concept to completion, personally ensuring top-down control of quality, product selection and design, scheduling, costs and safety. Their goal is to make the project fun for every homeowner, and they maintain relationships with clients long after the job is done.

spending a season or a lifetime in the Lakes region is a blessing that Kevin and shannon do not take lightly. their love of the lakes and mountains and their appreciation of fine craftsmanship have inspired them to build premier homes that are in keeping with the beauty of their natural surroundings and live up to the legacy John created. the entire wood & Clay team appreciates each opportunity to bring a homeowner’s dream to fruition. Building beautiful homes that serve as a backdrop for lifelong memories is an honor. ever y wood & Clay home reflects this and the unique character, personality and lifestyle of the owner.

Miracle Farms

mO uLt ONBO rO ugh, New h ampshire (603) 253-9292 • miraclefarmslandscaping.com

Miracle farms is a family owned landscape construction, maintenance and complete property management company serving the Lakes region of Nh with over 38 years of industry experience. a well thought-out landscape or hardscape design is the cornerstone of every project. we place the highest value on the natural beauty of the Lakes region, and give priority to the special conditions and long-term needs of this environment, always considering how the resources we use will impact it. we take time to understand the unique set of circumstances on each property, taking in to account the soil, wind, drainage, sun and shade conditions, and surrounding land use along with the individual needs and desires of the client before we ever put a shovel in the ground. we strive to exceed not only our customer expectations, but to bring value to all of our stakeholders— customers, employees, vendors and this amazing community we all call home. from our office team and managers to everyone in the field, we are a team that shares the vision. we work hard to build successful working relationships, capitalizing on strengths that allow us to commit to doing our very best.

we understand the inevitable problems that come with owning a second home, and the difficulties associated with finding competent and reliable service providers. Our property management personalized home services make sure your home is meticulously cared for and maintained, whether you are here for the weekend, the season or full time.

No Fulfillment Without Frustration

Beauty and function combine.

Lynn Szymanski is trained as a fine furniture maker, but her creations are often as poetic and beautiful as they are practical. An artist, designer and educator, Szymanski creates sculpture, signs and wall work, as well as one-of-a-kind furniture that becomes the focus in any space.

“My work straddles both furniture and sculpture,” Szymanski says from her workshop alongside the Salmon Falls River. “It’s guided by these two pillars that are somewhat at opposite ends.”

Szymanski earned her Master of Fine Arts in furniture design at San Diego State University. She’s the 2009 recipient of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation’s Artist Advancement Grant, and she served two terms on The Furniture Society board of trustees. As an educator and administrator, Szymanski has lent her expertise to programs at the University of New Hampshire as well as Becker College and Fitchburg State in Massachusetts. Plus, she ran the wood department at the Worcester Crafts Center.

She is also a member of the prestigious New Hampshire Furniture Masters—a group of professional furniture makers dedicated to preserving the craft and its long-held traditions. It’s there that Szymanski is working to expand the group’s prison outreach program at the New Hampshire Correctional Facility for Women in Concord. Szymanski and fellow

By Bill Burke

Artist Lynn Szymanski, seen in her Rollinsford studio at right, creates one-of-a-kind furniture as well as sculpture. Seen here is a side table she crafted in 2018 from limed oak and mahogany.

New Hampshire Furniture Master Leah Woods have developed a curriculum and are poised to launch the effort.

A skilled maker who has been shaping, carving and creating stunning works for more than 30 years, Szymanski finds reward in the effort as much as in the achievement. Some days in the shop are fulfilling, while others can be maddening. But the shop is where Szymanski finds peace.

New HampsHire Home [NHH]: How did you find your way to your craft?

LyNN szymaNski [Ls]: I have always been interested in art and craft since I was a child. I remember there was a craft store near our house, and my mom would take me to buy supplies so I’d have what I needed to work on projects during the week. I remember always feeling comfortable drawing and making things. My grandpa was a woodworker, too. He had

already retired by the time I became active in woodworking, but seeing him make and repair things throughout my life was very informative.

NHH: How does your furniture and art work satisfy your creative side?

LS: Lots of things. No. 1, there’s always something to learn. No. 2, there’s something very tangible about it. When you go into the wood shop, the outcome of

your day is very much dependent on one’s self. That self-reliance is important to me. It’s always fresh, and you’re always learning something. Some days in the wood shop, everything goes well. Other days, it doesn’t. But over the years, it’s become apparent to me that the effort I put into my work is proportionate to what I get out of it. That self-reliance and straightforwardness is immensely satisfying.

NHH: Is there a particular item that best represents your skills?

LS: Usually as soon as I make something and it finds a home someplace, I forget about it and I’m on to the next piece.

NHH: Tell us about your time at the Vitra Design Museum in France.

LS: That was an amazing experience. I went as part of a summer craft program, sponsored by the Vitra Design Museum,

which is most famous for miniature replicas of modernist furniture. They have a summer program at this castle called Domaine de Boisbuchet. Designers from all over the world convene to teach two-week workshops. I took a workshop with David Trowbridge, who is a woodworker/designer from New Zealand. There were between eight and 10 of us in his class, and we just made things all day. And there were amazing French lunches—French food and French wine. The Vitra Design Museum’s program is very similar to some we have here in the United States. Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, in Deer Isle, Maine, is probably the closest to us.

NHH: What do you think you gained during your time in France?

LS: It was interesting to me to have a European perspective on how they look at design and making things. Although, it was not just European. Instructors the Campana brothers are Brazilian designers, there were Swedish designers, and David Trubridge is from New Zealand, of course. The program presented a more international way of looking at things. Seeing through an international lens was really interesting.

NHH: Is there a difference in how you prepare to create furniture as opposed to sculpture, signs and wall work?

LS: I definitely plan out my work before

I actually touch any material. I make sketches, drawings and plans. I make maquettes and models a lot. I make lists. I work off of to-do lists that map out which steps I’m going to take in what order and when. It’s all very planned out. And especially with furniture, I try not to deviate too much from that initial plan. But with sculpture and other work, I’m a lot looser, so if I make a mistake or there’s a little serendipity, I let that inform the final product.

NHH: Was there anyone who influenced you or acted as a mentor?

LS: Three people: the first person is Wendy Maruyama, who was my professor at San Diego State in grad school.

She’s really amazing. I admire her, and I was inspired by her as a maker, designer, arts advocator, person and friend. I still feel really close with her and could reach out to her.

The second is Keith Mason, a woodworking teacher at Laney College in Oakland, California. I learned how to be an educator from him, and I admire the way he made learning woodworking accessible to everybody.

The third person is Gail Fredell, a woodworker in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. She’s the first female woodworker I met. During a slide presentation of her work, I thought it was stunning, and the way she talked about her work was different than how I had heard anyone talk about

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work before. It was inspired by nature and her environment, and as she talked about her inspiration, you could actually see it in the piece.

There are many more—and in the New Hampshire Furniture Masters, as well. What I like about being a woodworker is this sense of belonging: I’m part of a community that has tradition, and how we’re all working toward a similar goal.

NHH: How often do you encounter other women in the furniture-making world?

LS: A lot. Maybe 20 years ago, when I was in grad school, my program was 50-50. But these days, some of the most prestigious woodworking programs are run by women. People I feel closest to, even though I may not know them per-

sonally very well, I know them as a woodworker. When I do meet them, I feel an instant rapport with them. Wendy (Maruyama) and Gail (Fredell) are two of the women at the forefront of that.

NHH: What is your workshop like?

LS: It’s in Rollinsford in the Salmon Falls Mills. The mill is right on the Salmon Falls River, and when windows are open, I can hear the river roaring. I share the space with three other woodworkers. One room is the machine room, which has the table saw, the jointer, planer, most of the big equipment with a dust collection system. The other room is the bench room, where each of us has a workbench and storage area for hand tools. I love being in that space. One of my shop mates is an instruc-

tor at the North Bennet Street School in Boston, so he has a lot of 18th- and 19th-century furniture reproductions. I love the variety of work that happens in that space.

NHH: What is a typical day in the workshop like for you?

LS: I do have a day job, so my time in the woodshop has to be efficient. I plan everything out ahead of time, so I usually have my to-do list. I think ahead of time, ‘If I knock these things off my to-do list, that would be great.’ Sometimes I’m able to do that, sometimes I’m not able to do that. Sometimes the day is very fulfilling, other days it’s frustrating. But that’s what’s cool about being in the shop—you can’t have the fulfillment without the frustration. It’s taken me a long time to learn that.

NHH: What are you working on with the New Hampshire Furniture Masters?

LS: I’ve been working with Leah Woods, who is another member of the Furniture Masters, on a prison outreach program at the state prison for women. We’re getting the woodworking program up and running there, as the group has done for the men’s prison. Now we’re just trying to figure out if we can do something remotely. The support from the community for that program has been enormous. We have enough funding to buy all the tools, we have enough to have guest instructors. We just need to get in there.

NHH: What is the most rewarding part of your process?

LS: There’s a book by Mathew Crawford called “Shop Class as Soulcraft.” He says craft contains three essential ingredients for having a fulfilling life: autonomy, mastery and belonging. Those three areas really resonate for me. NHH

Growing Microgreen Sprouts

It has been a long winter, and by now, we are all craving truly fresh, homegrown greens. It will be a while before we can start planting outdoors, but in the meantime, it is easy to grow your own indoor salad garden, producing nutritious microgreen sprouts to enhance your meals as we look forward to spring.

Last March when COVID-19 hit, Dick McNamara of Hillsborough started growing microgreen sprouts to add a healthy, flavorful punch to his family’s meals while minimizing trips to the store.

“Two years ago, Vermont Public Radio had an interview with author Peter Burke about his book ‘Year-Round Indoor Salad Gardening.’ It sounded interesting, so I bought a copy of the book and set it aside,” McNamara says. “Then COVID showed up, and I thought it would be perfect to have some greens growing.”

Last year, getting seed was challenging since everyone wanted to start a garden, but McNamara was able to source enough organic and untreated seeds locally and through mail order to grow a steady supply of microgreen sprouts from March into June. When the lettuces and other greens in his outdoor raised beds started to produce, he put microgreen growing aside. In late fall, after the garden was put to bed, he actually looked forward to starting up his indoor garden again.

Sprouting up

By following the detailed instructions in Burke’s book, McNamara has had great success growing his greens. “I am not much of a gardener,” he admits, “but growing these greens has been incredibly easy.”

This is a very low-tech, low-input endeavor that does not require a large investment to get up and running. To start, you need individual cups for soaking the seeks and a bag for soaking the soil. For planting, you need watertight containers; no drainage holes needed. McNamara uses aluminum loaf pans, but shallow ceramic bowls will work as well. For soil, a fluffy germi-

By Robin Sweetser | Photography by John W. Hession

Garden r x

nation mix of peat moss, perlite and vermiculite is recommended. Compost and liquid sea kelp are needed for fertilizing. Of course, you’ll also need some seeds; peas, sunflower, broccoli, lentil or kohlrabi are good options. Lastly, newspaper or paper towels are used to cover the seeds while they sprout.

Here are the steps:

• Using a separate cup for each variety of seeds, cover the seeds with plenty of water and let them soak for a minimum of 6 hours.

• Scoop the soil mix into a gallon-size zip-close bag and add 4 cups of water. Set the bag aside and let the soil soak overnight.

• The next day, add 1 tablespoon of the compost and ½ teaspoon of the kelp in the bottom of each planting container. Then add the moistened soil, filling to within ¼ inch of the top.

• Drain the seeds and spread them evenly over the soil.

• Cover the seeds with wet newspaper or paper towels, pressing down the seeds so they make good contact with the soil.

• Put the covered containers in a warm, dark place for four days. If the paper covering starts to look dry, mist it with water.

• On the fifth day, remove the paper covers. The shoots will be about 1-inch tall. Carefully water them, and move the planting container to a sunny windowsill.

• Check for water once daily, adding only 2-4 tablespoons if needed. Brush off loose seed hulls.

• After three or four days in the sun, your greens are ready to harvest. Snip with scissors near the soil line.

• Wash the greens when you’re ready to eat them, removing any wayward soil or seed hulls.

customers moving to and from smaller homes, condos and apartments Guaranteed moving dates, shorter shipment times, $10,000 coverage in the price of each container. Loading and unloading services at no extra cost!

Eats shoots and leaves

Although you can cook some microgreen sprouts like sunflower, adzuki, lentil, broccoli or pea shoots in a stir fry, the McNamaras prefer to eat theirs raw. “We have them in salads, and they are great on avocado toast,” he says. “My wife likes the pea shoots, and the radish sprouts are really good. Broccoli has a nice flavor to it, and buckwheat germinates well and has a good flavor. Popcorn was interesting. It grew well, made more sprout than leaf and was extremely sweet.”

A retired high school science teacher, McNamara also worked as a nutritional counselor before moving to New Hampshire 10 years ago. “I was always working on getting my clients to eat more greens, and the

What’s the difference between sprouts, shoots, microgreens and baby greens?

They are very similar, and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. The main difference is the time of harvest.

• Sprouts can be grown just by keeping seeds moist—no soil needed. After germination, which only takes a few days, the whole sprout is eaten—roots and all.

• Soil-grown sprouts, often called shoots or microgreen sprouts, are grown in soil. They are eaten when the first seed leaves or cotyledons open. This takes between seven and 10 days.

• A microgreen is a seedling of an edible plant. It can be grown in soil or hydroponically. After germinating, it is allowed to grow until the first true leaves appear, then it is cut to eat. The whole process takes between 10 and 25 days.

• Baby greens are a wide variety of leafy edible plants that are harvested after the leaves have reached a larger size than the microgreens, between 3 and 6 inches. Depending on the crop, it can take between 3 and 5 weeks after germination to reach a harvestable size. If cut carefully, the plant will continue to send up more leaves.

Your binge-worthy options just got interesting.

nhpbs.org/watchmore

sprout is even more dense in nutrition than the full-grown plant,” he explains.

McNamara enjoys the ability to have a really fresh product. “The quality of greens is related to the time from picking to eating. Often, I cut the greens and put them right on my plate to eat. No travel time coming from the Central Valley of California and then sitting in the veggie cooler in your supermarket.”

Your microgreen sprouts can be a garnish or an addition to other salad greens, adding flavor, color, texture and crunch. They are one of the easiest edibles you can grow and are always in season. NHH

KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS

Belletetes

Whether your project is large or small, complicated or simple, Belletetes takes your ideas and makes them happen. We have all the tools, products and skills necessary to make your project a complete success. Specializing in lumber, decking, windows, doors, paint, stains and flooring—as well as fixtures and cabinets for kitchens and bathrooms—we have everything for your remodeling needs. And don’t forget to take advantage of our free estimates!

51 Peterborough Street, Jaffrey • (603) 532-7716 • belletetes.com

KITCHENS

Accent on Kitchens

Your home should reflect who you are and what you love. The Accent team is creative and committed—combining experience and innovation with a friendly, low-key approach. The results are rooms that become the heart of your home: beautifully designed spaces that will be an expression of your lifestyle for years to come.

112 Lafayette Road, North Hampton (603) 964-1771 • accentonkitchens.com

KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS

Ripano Stoneworks, Ltd.

Get inspired! We have the newest and largest stone countertop showroom in the area featuring working displays of kitchens, bathrooms and more. Our climate-controlled, indoor slab warehouse features hundreds of full stone slabs in hundreds of colors. Find the perfect material for your project. We are centrally located to service all of New England. Make an appointment with one of our design consultants today!

90 East Hollis Street , Nashua • (603) 886-6655 • ripano.com

OUTDOOR LIVING

Soake Pools

Create a spa-like experience in your own backyard. We manufacture four-season, luxury plunge pools designed to be warm in winter, cool in summer and small enough to fit almost any backyard space. Soake Pools are made in New Hampshire, and delivered tiled and ready for your finishing touches. Small pools, big benefits. Visit our website, and contact us for more information.

In Pembroke • (603) 749-0665 • soakepools.com

HOME FURNISHINGS

Winchendon Furniture

We are passionate about quality. Since 1939, our family-owned company has helped homeowners create comfortable, memorable spaces. Visit our locations in Keene, New Hampshire or Winchendon, Massachusetts, to find fine handcrafted furniture (most of it American-made) from top manufacturers, including our own designs. Our design consultants are delighted to help you select the right pieces for your home. winchendonfurniture.com

LIGHTING

Derek Marshall Sculptural Lighting

Choose lighting that adds extra pzazz and sophistication to your home, available in a wide variety of rich colors. The Topolino pendant, shown here in “Inferno” glass, can be ordered in any color. Visit our website to see all the lighting styles to fit your decorating needs, including chandeliers, pendants and wall sconces at derekmarshall.com. Call for information and free glass samples.

85 Upper Road, Sandwich, New Hampshire • (603) 284-7000 derekmarshall.com • linda@derekmarshall.com

Lawn of the Dead

The real es T a T e view book in the back of a Plaistow pizza shop made the to-be-built split Cape home appear to be exactly what we were looking for—it fit our bud get, it allowed for expansion in the future, and it all sat on a perfectly manicured patch of emerald green. Lies.

Not all of it—I’m sitting in that house right now, and it’s keep ing the wind off me just fine. Just the part about dropping it all on a glorious, two-acre patch of verdant meadow.

The key phrase in the descrip tive abstract was “to-be-built,” which means when we bought our home in the mid-’90s, what we were actually mortgaging was a patch of woods along a twisting country road in a rural southern New Hampshire town. There was no house, yet, and there certainly was no lawn. Not yet.

inevitably, spring would arrive— all arrogant and warm—with a reminder that the battle would again be joined anew.

This went on until, one year, I glanced out the window and saw that where the snow had melted, raised lines twisted back and forth as if someone’s finger had traced long, looping channels into the ground. The more the snow melted, the more tunnels were revealed, scarring the gray landscape. That’s another important detail—it wasn’t the expected brown, patchy dormant growth rising up to mock us once again. What I saw was a sickly gray, devoid of any life-affirming chlorophyll whatsoever. It lay there in colorless, flaking layers. I glared at it. It continued to be a not-lawn.

But eventually, there was a house. On a warm July morning, just months after spotting our future in the pizza-shop book, we signed on many lines and were handed the keys to a brand new home. It sat on a hill, looking exactly like the facsimile image, except for one detail: the lawn of our dreams would need time to grow. For now, the house sat atop a dirt pile with hay strewn across it, which, we were told, would protect the grass seed from birds. Give it a little time. It will grow, they said.

Also lies.

First, a torrential rainstorm welcomed us to our new home, and washed all the hay and grass seed down the hill into the gravel driveway. And that’s where it took root.

Ever try to punch a lawn in the face? You can’t bully a lawn into existing, and you can’t pay it to grow. We invested in a heavy metal tractor, and we’d seed and water and fertilize, but the best we’d get were small, patchy crescents of grass that never seemed to join with their nearby malformed cousins to become anything resembling the putting green we envisioned.

We gave one of those lawn services a try, but they pretty much spray-painted the existing scrub green and went on their way. We fought with the yard every summer, only retreating when winter came and snow would cover our failure, mercifully putting it out of sight for a few months. Yet,

We figured there was only one way to resurrect our zombie field, and that was to engage a pro. He took samples, looked under the ground’s papery surface, revealed we had moles and ants, and showed us that the top layer of soil had been scraped away when the house was built, leaving us with a thin skin obscuring sand below. But, he had a plan to make sure we had “the nicest lawn on this whole street.” We knew he meant business when, one morning, massive, prehistoriclooking machinery was rumbling back and forth, pummeling what was there and showing it who was boss. I felt a sense of schadenfreude watching a once-stubborn opponent humbled.

Add the thick layer of new, dark topsoil, an irrigation system and a prescribed plan of lawn care, and the great rebirth began. One morning, a barely perceptible, gauzy green— almost a haze—began to insinuate itself atop the dark soil. A few days later, new growth. A month later, we were wading through the lush, healthy grass we first saw in the listing years ago.

Here’s the thing, though—the growing grass won’t stop now. I could mow that lawn every other day, and it would still seem untamed a few hours later. We mow and mow and mow. We made a Faustian bargain with our lawn guy, and payment comes due. Like, every few days. Forever.

A lesson to that younger, would-be homeowner all those years ago who dreamed of standing in the middle of a picturesque, perfectly green lawn: Be careful what you wish for. NHH

By Bill Burke | Illustration by Carolyn Vibbert