Country Farmhouse
Winner of the prestigious Shutze Award, this home sits on a large farm in south Alabama where a modest cabin was transformed to provide more space for a family that enjoys entertaining, especially in the outdoors. The owners spend their days at the farm riding horses, exploring the surrounding fields, and fishing lakes. To create a place that would better accommodate large gatherings of friends and family, we expanded the living space and added a larger kitchen with 180-degree views of the farm. On each side of the living room fireplace, we added two pairs of French doors that open onto the new porch, complete with dining space and an outdoor fireplace. This connection between indoor and outdoor areas effectively doubled the size of the home’s living space. On the other side of the existing house, we added a master wing that includes a shuttered porch, the perfect respite from a hectic day. Existing and new structures are woven together with a wrap-around porch that takes a cue from the surrounding horse fence and its railing design. In keeping with the home’s bucolic setting, natural materials such as moss-rock stone, cedar shakes, and reclaimed antique oak beams, were used both inside and out.