Hilltop Gambrel
Hilltop Gambrel
Newton, MA
LDa's goal for this project was to provide the most sustainable design possible while respecting the client’s request for a traditional family home in a historic neighborhood. The resulting design is a sunny, elegant yet informal, home based on traditional shingle-style forms with a casual and visually open, but classic, interior. The home was carefully sited on its sloping corner lot, using stepped terraces to anchor the house as well as creating separate areas for the pool, yard and garage entrance. A four-season porch extends into the yard and frames a stone patio for outdoor dining and entertaining.
Inside, the major rooms on the first floor include a living room, dining room, butler’s pantry, kitchen, breakfast area, mudroom, family room, and media room. The second floor contains the master suite, bedrooms, and a home office. A first floor mezzanine and basement include a guest suite, additional home office, golf simulator, exercise room, play space and craft area. Finishes and furnishings were chosen to feel inviting and comfortably intimate for everyday family use, yet sophisticated enough for formal entertaining.
The sustainable features of this LEED for Homes certified “Gold” home include a geothermal HVAC system, high-efficiency plumbing fixtures, locally sourced materials including wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and a well-insulated, tight exterior envelope. In addition, 92% of waste generated on site during construction was diverted from landfill. Only 31% of the site is turf, and 95% of the low-maintenance, drought tolerant plant palette is composed of native plant materials. The project proves that a home can be significant in size, significant in detail, significant in craft, and rich in material, yet sustainable.
Team
Architect: LDa Architecture & Interiors
Interior Design: Jill Litner Kaplan Interiors
Landscape Architecture: Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design
Photographer: Michael J. Lee Photography
Publications
New England Home, September/October 2014 "Special Focus: Kitchen and Bath Design"
Design New England, March/April 2013 "One + Only"
Boston Design Guide, 2015 "At-Home Getaway"
Awards
2013 Nanawall Photo Story Contest, Best Pool House
Certifications
Main House: LEED for Homes, Gold
