A couple with two young children loved the charm of an antique farmhouse and barn in Kennebunk, Maine, but wished that it had more modern elements, too. So they decided to build a four-bedroom home on the land that would give them everything they wanted.
They hired Caleb Johnson Studio to take on the project, and the team got started by gathering materials that they could reuse. There were the things they could find in the farmhouse and barn, but in another bit of sourcing luck, they also had their pick of pieces from a teardown site in Weston, Massachusetts. Johnson incorporated elements from the farmhouse in the timber roof structure, interior wood cladding, and interior doors, and saved the cabinetry and fixtures from the Massachusetts house.
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But construction wasn't all about recycling. Johnson and the team worked some new, sustainable materials into the design, too — including Maine cedar, hemlock timber, and steel — to create a modern feel. In fact, the steel was left unfinished to develop a warm patina over time, which is the perfect choice for this young family. Now that they have their dream home, they'll be here for a while.
