Tuscan Farmhouse

This unique home was designed to have the look and feel of a Tuscan farmhouse. Purposefully asymmetrical, the varying shapes and rooflines fit together perfectly. Most prominent is the stair tower at the front of the house, where a spiral staircase connects the lower and upper levels. The hipped roofs have a gentle pitch that make the house look like it’s spreading out into the field it was built upon. The upper level is concentrated in the center of the house, and sits beneath its own roof. Originally built near a lake at the rear, the back of the house was designed for views and outdoor living.

As you approach the house, your eye is drawn to the stair tower and the three square windows running up its length. The covered entry is recessed a bit, and is framed by an arched opening. There are two doors here, allowing you to enter either the foyer or the mudroom. As you’ll see from the faint outline of a piano in the floor plans (and one of the photos we display), the original homeowners used this large foyer space as a music room. To the right as you enter there’s a beautiful spiral staircase in a tower that’s filled with light. The stairwell area is 7’–wide, so you could probably have your builder replace the spiral with a more typical stair if you’d prefer, since there’s plenty of room on the upper level for regular stairs.

As you walk toward the living areas you pass a powder room on your left and a door to the master suite on your right. The living, dining and kitchen areas are wide open to each other, separated only by an L–shaped counter in the kitchen. These spaces are wrapped in windows that provide both natural light and views. There are also glass panels in the roof above the windows in the living room, and transom windows above the sliding glass that open to the rear deck from the dining area. A screened porch in the corner across from the deck can be accessed by doors in both the living room and the master bedroom.

The L–shaped counters have a lower side facing the kitchen, and a raised portion on the outer edge for casual dining and/or serving. Windows above the sink add to the light in the kitchen, and there’s a large walk–through pantry between the kitchen and the mudroom. The mudroom area includes a utility room, a walk–in closet, and a stacked washer and dryer.

The right side of the house is devoted to the master suite. The bedroom has plenty of light, views and ventilation, thanks to three windows on one wall (with transoms above), and another window and two glazed doors on an adjacent wall. The doors open to the screened porch, which has two other doors opening to the living room and the back yard. The bath area is filled with light during the day coming through three windows, and a skylight over the tub, and the large closet space has a window as well.

At the top of the stairs to the upper level there’s a sunny loft area that can be used for play or study. There are two matching bedrooms – each with its own walk–in closet – that share a full bath. Both rooms are wrapped by windows, and ceilings are set at 8’9″ in the middle.

Please Note
Due to licensing agreements, this home may not be built in Hancock County, Maine.