Courtyard Retreat

From the start, the project required Nicholaeff to integrate the site’s inherent characteristics with the family’s programmatic needs. Located on a densely landscaped property that sloped to the sea, this new construction residence was to be a year-round home that balanced a summer-like coastal sensibility with a more traditional New England environment. The original house sat close to the street on almost 2 acres of land and offered little connection to the landscape. Rebuilding provided the opportunity to reposition the home more naturally within the terrain. The site sloped at least 15 feet from front to back, allowing the lower level to be transformed into a light-filled, fully usable living space. At the same time, a view easement restricted where building and pool could be positioned and avoided the flood plain. Nicholaeff used this limitation as a guiding parameter, reorienting the new house to capture optimal views while respecting the protected corridor and embracing natural light.

The architectural strategy hinged on a front courtyard design, creating a welcoming foreground and a play between symmetry and asymmetry. The functions of the 9,494 SF house are straightforward and per the client’s request: a family residence with generous spaces to entertain and a separate building for guests that felt private but still connected to the main house. A low, continuous roofline connects the main house with the single-story detached guest suite on one side and the main garage on the other, visually unifying the home. The lower roof creates scale to the building’s mass. A stone band courses the perimeter, grounding the home, while light colored clapboard siding answers the client’s preference for shingle-free walls. Lead-coated copper standing seam roofing and concealed gutters introduce a traditional material in a muted and functional way.

Inside, the floor plan is open but carefully defined, with deliberate framing of views from the moment of entry. The front door opens onto a direct vista through the family room to the water beyond, establishing a visual axis while the horizontal axis organizes the different functions. The staircase is the pivotal element to the composition in both function and architecture. It opens to the kitchen and hallway on the first floor and the bedrooms on the second floor and mediates the turn of the building connecting the garages. Its large windows connecting both levels overlook the front courtyard, allowing one to peek into other spaces of the property with intention. Throughout, Nicholaeff integrated subtle but effective detailing: concealed gutters within the exterior trim, custom built-ins, and hidden cabinetry to support function while maintaining a clean, timeless aesthetic.

The lower level capitalizes on the site’s slope, with expansive sliding glass doors leading directly to the pool terrace. The poolside den area includes a lounge, pool table, gym, full kitchen, laundry, and bath, making the space a true extension of the main living areas. Above, a screened porch transitions to an outdoor grilling area. Throughout the home, everyday needs were equally considered: the mudroom adjacent to the kitchen features custom cubbies and cabinetry, a pet bathing area, and a direct connection to the garage.

The guest suite functions independently, with its own private entry and garage, bedroom, full bath, kitchen, living space, and powder room. At the same time, it connects visually and spatially to the main residence through a shared roofline and view path. This balancing act, between independence and connection, embodies the project’s larger goal of creating intentional relationships between parts of the home and its surroundings. The home’s interiors support this vision, introducing enough vibrancy and warmth to complement the architectural clarity, while maintaining equilibrium between traditional and modern elements.

This home is about the connection between structures, spaces, and generations. It demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform a constrained and layered site into a residence that feels harmonious, functional, and enduring. From the pool as the exterior focal point to the carefully orchestrated sightlines and materials, the house offers its family not just a place to live, but a composition of moments, experiences, and views that will evolve with them over time.

Project team:

Builder: Meagher Builders
Landscape Architect: Sudbury Design Group
Interior Design: Manuel de Santaren
Photographer: Michael J Lee