Vermont

This picnic table, which is set upon the foundation of an old outbuilding at the edge of the owner’s apple orchard, seats eight comfortably and offers drop-dead views of the Taconic Mountains. It is decorated with fresh-cut dahlias from the home’s vibrant gardens. The ANICHINI cashmere blanket on the bench keeps picnickers warm during cool evenings.

Antique prints and paintings dot the walls of the master bedroom.

In the living room, a custom sofa upholstered in Cowtan & Tout fabric, an antique chair from John Rosselli & Associates covered in Vaughan fabric, and a custom coffee table featuring Holland & Sherry embossed leather mix with engravings from German artist Basilius Besler.

The antiques continue in the guest bedroom, juxtaposed with hand-blocked Swedish paper from Sandberg Wallpaper.

The light-filled “mini-great room” boasts a rug Maher purchased on a trip through Morocco’s Atlas Mountains; the hand-hewn beams, circa 1850, were exposed during the renovation.

Maher sought to expand his small Vermont weekend/ski-vacation home while keeping true to the classic Vermont vernacular.

The home’s modestly sized dining room doubles as a study/office with a nineteenth-century French refectory table, which is offset by a patchwork wool and silk carpet, Farrow & Ball wallpaper, and an antique Swedish Mora clock.

Dubbed the birdbath, the master bathroom showcases a mix of Italian and American engravings, which Maher has spent years collecting from auctions and galleries such as Arader Galleries.

A three-tiered terrace, blended into the natural landscape in place of an eroded hillside, complements an existing gazebo. Adirondack chairs can cozy up around the built-in firepit for sunset viewing.

Accompanied by informal foot paths, a 360-foot stone wall follows a long arc matching the

The screen house addition at the back of the house was built in a semicircle in order to minimize disruption of the lake views from the rest of the house.

The main house is centered on a long drive and sits at the apex of curved stone walls, enhancing the sense of arrival.

The attic above this guest bedroom was partially removed to add an extra window and more natural lighting, accented by a cut-crystal chandelier.

The master bath’s space-saving shower is set against a backsplash of locally quarried Danby marble and drains into a floor inlaid with an oval design repeated throughout the home.

Covered by a wooden ceiling designed to resemble the hull of an upturned boat, the screen porch was the one major addition to the home. All-weather chairs surrounding a coffee table crafted from a tree harvested on the property afford lake views warmed by a crackling fire.

Painted in a blue tone to match the waters of Lake Champlain, the dining room features a landscape mural by a local artist and a chandelier with wax candles whose light reflects off a high-gloss ceiling that increases the sense of space. The bay windows are original to the house.

Opposing twin fireplaces warm this stone-sided room at the center of the house, enlivened by the face of an antique French clock. The custom mantel incorporates an oval design found on the transom over the front door, and the bench and sling chair provide extra seating in a compact room.

The mudroom’s checkerboard floor is made of local Panton stone, matching that used in the walls of the house and on the property.

The kitchen, with its eighteen-foot ceilings and copious food-prep surfaces, was the centerpiece of the renovation of the main house.

The staircase tower, originally designed to house an observation nook, was left open to maximize light flow.

The back view of the home reveals how Rousselle tucked the ground floor into the sloping site to help conceal the mass of the house and to accommodate a large outdoor patio.

A potting shed off the garage boasts a classic sliding barn door.

The home’s three-season, modified timber-frame screened-in porch is high enough off the ground to give it a tree-house feel.

In the entry hall, natural elements such as slate, stone, and wood help marry inside and out. An open breezeway connects the house and the garage.

The master bath includes a handcrafted Japanese-inspired teak soaking tub, heated slate floors, and custom cabinetry.

By using a natural, neutral color palette in the great room, the design team ensured the furniture and accessories would not detract from the dramatic exterior views or the focal-point stone fireplace.

Although the home is filled with wood, the design team varied finishes and species to prevent the interior from looking, as the owner says, “too much like a log cabin or overbearing.” Custom-crafted lighting fixtures and a specially designed range hood give the kitchen and dining space a feeling of elegance and artisanship.

Some of the homes architectural details include hemlock brackets, flared columns, and an eyebrow arch.

Architect Paul Robert Rousselle and his client agreed the Shingle style would be the perfect blend of classic and contemporary for this Vermont home.

Rousselle varied the heights of the rooflines to reduce the home’s sense of volume, and added a host of elegant architectural details.

High ceilings, elegantly simple locally sourced lighting fixtures, and floor-to-ceiling windows fill the dining room with light all year round.

A natural cleft slate fireplace studded with custom-made sconces is a focal point of the room.

The kitchen and adjacent dining area feature a combination of open shelving and custom cabinets.

The basement complete with ping-pong table and room for games galore.

Multiple textures—in the artwork by Kathryn Lipke through Stowe’s West Branch Gallery and in the variety of fabrics—along with shots of bold sky-blue against a neutral background lend interest to the living room.

Swivel chairs upholstered in blue velvet are a prime spot for enjoying conversation.

Bright, fun colors—from the wall tiles behind the wood-burning stove to the rainbow-hued carpet to the throw pillows—dominate the home’s basement level.

A pair of spider-like ceiling lamps that can be reconfigured to shed light where it’s most needed illuminates the raised island, which steps down to meet the wood-and-metal dining table.

Rick Wagner peers out of his professional-grade observatory.

Most windows, like these in the porch-like sitting room, have no window treatments to hide their clean lines or mar the view.

To maximize the home’s hilltop site, the designers added several exterior patios and seating areas while opening up the view side of the home with massive windows.

The sculptural tub in the master bath is tucked into its own cozy alcove with a close-up look at the outdoors.

Continuing the idea that it’s all about the view, the owners chose warm, neutral colors and simple, clean furnishings for the master bedroom.

Reclaimed vintage barn beams and iron tie rods anchor the renovated kitchen that is now flooded with light, thanks to new, generously proportioned windows.

An upper story was removed to give the great room its high ceiling and an abundance of windows.

Diverse rooflines to break up the mass of this hillside residence are among the renovations that turned a rather ordinary house into a spectacular home. Other changes include larger windows to take full advantage of magnificent mountain views and a custom-made observatory for even more distant views.

Beauty and drama merge in the master bathroom, where an egg-shaped sink rests atop live-edge, locally sourced cherry wood. Samimi-Urich chose the smoked-glass pendants because they suggest drops of water.

Sculptural floating wall panels separate the master bedroom and bathroom, adding artistic interest to the room and functioning as a backdrop to the four-poster bed. Suspended wall-to-wall cabinets provide ample storage.

A colonial-style staircase was replaced with this simple, modern design of iron and painted wood.

The dining room’s antique farm table is large enough to accommodate family and visiting friends. When illuminated, the sculptural wooden light fixture casts art-like shadows across the room. During daylight hours, large windows let in an abundance of natural light.

Steel and salvaged wood and soapstone come together beautifully in the open kitchen; reclaimed pumpkin pine forms the suspended shelves.

A neutral backdrop lets the homeowner’s art collection pop; a painting by Sierra Urich (Mitra’s daughter) hangs above an antique dry sink in the living room.

A rug of silk and wool anchors the living room space, where the focal point is a sculptural fireplace of concrete and steel. Floating shelves made from salvaged wood and a farmhouse-style coffee table add softness to the room.

The living room’s white slipcovers make for easy maintenance, while throw pillows add texture and color. The blue-velvet ottoman doubles as a stool when extra seating is needed.

The peaceful master bedroom, with its headboard upholstered in a sweet gingham plaid from Scalamandré, sits in the addition.

The original home had no fireplace, so the owners installed one in the connector that serves a family room and links the old house with the addition.

The new addition’s mudroom has under-floor heating.

Glass-front custom-crafted cabinets enhance the open kitchen’s airy feel.

Higgerson used Scandinavian pieces like the painted console throughout the home.

The dining room features a painting by Woodstock, Vermont, artist Glenn Suokko.

Following their design edict of "less is more," the owners added subtle crown moldings throughout the house and opted for furniture, walls, and drapes in muted beiges.

After falling in love with the long-neglected Vermont village house, interior designer Phyllis Higgerson and her husband decided to renovate it instead of tearing it down. Her elegantly simple design scheme features a neutral palette and Swedish-influenced furniture to give the renovated home a feeling of calmness and serenity.

A chandelier from Bella Figura lends a more formal touch to the dining room.

Refined simplicity in the master bath.

A lemony-green grasscloth wallcovering in the master bedroom mimics birch bark in a playful echo of the tree-lined ski runs of the mountain outside.

The central hall leads to home offices, a screened porch and the kitchen-dining-living room.

Applewood brings drama to the kitchen, where it sheathes the island base and the stove hood.

A cozy spot for casual dining in the family room.

Cheerful, bright colors furnish the downstairs family room.

Columns create the suggestion of a room for the dining area that separates the kitchen and living room.

The front entry leads into a number of open, interconnected spaces.

The outdoor living room is a favorite relaxation destination.

The house’s exterior of wood and local stone suits the dramatic, natural setting.

The real drama of the space, however, is outside the windows, which are scaled to the make the most of the view.

The homeowners awaken-in their Gleysteen-designed platform bed-to a natural panorama.

The ultra-modern kitchen has concrete counters and stainless-steel-faced drawers.

Windows rise to the Douglas fir-paneled cathedral ceilings to ensure stellar views.

A pile of granite at a local quarry provided just the right stones for the massive, soaring, four-sided fireplace.

A gently bowed bridge leads the way to the front door.

Classic elements, such as the stone facade and gabled roofs, were architect Marcus Gleysteen’s starting point for the contemporary mountain getaway.

A tucked-away spot for tea is warmed by the sun and the blazing fall foliage.

Similar to a Japanese maple but more forgiving of Vermont’s winters, a graceful Korean purple-leaf maple greets visitors at the front entry.

Overhanging roofs create porch-like spaces that help unite the architecture and manmade landscape with the meadow beyond.

Bonsai trees from the owners’ collection enhance the Japanese-influenced ambience.

A variety of materials-low-growing shrubs, groundcovers, and stone-adds bountiful visual interest.