Seaside English Manor

The owners of this ocean-side English manor home treasured both the earthen materials that sheathed the exterior and the amber glow of old wooden paneling that enveloped the interior. Much of the success of our design depended on recreating the warm, lived-in feel of the paneled rooms and finding materials that would harmonize with the old house. The addition is roofed in a rare slate from Delaware, and the walls are supported by beams of white oak rescued from razed barns in western Massachusetts. Inside, the centerpiece of the addition is the family room, paneled in pine boards as wide as twenty inches that were stained and seasoned to produce a patina that defies their age. All were assembled with the craft and handwork of a 19th century master.