Japanese Inspired Architecture in Vermont
December 20, 2022
Japan meets New England in this tranquil Vermont home where pine makes a big impact.
Text by Kathryn OâShea-Evans   Photography by Jim Westphalen
The mountains of Japan are dotted with treasures: serene ryokan (inns) here, steamy onsen (hot springs) there. Vermont may be nearly 7,000 miles away, but it shares a certain magic with the land of the rising sun. Why not combine the best of both worlds? Thatâs exactly what these California transplantsâsheâs originally from Vermont, heâs from Hawaii and has Japanese ancestryâasked for when it came to their new primary residence in the verdant
Champlain Valley. âWhen they came to me, they said, âCan you do a Japan-meets-Vermont house?â â recalls architect Elizabeth Herrmann. âI donât think any of us quite knew what that meant.â But the design team nailed it.
âWe pulled from Japanese influences, like an affinity for the land and trying to get the house to really fit on site and integrate nicely with the landscape,â Herrmann says. Deep overhangs, hipped roofs, and shou sugi banâan ancient Japanese charring technique that has a no-maintenance, natural finishâcypress siding add to the effect. âWe were careful to preserve as many trees as we could and work with the natural ledge outcroppings,â says builder Chris Quinn of Red House.
Inside, salvaged heart-pine flooring with plentiful patina and locally sourced pine millwork create an enveloping woodsy feel. âPine is not considered a fancy material, but the flooring was extremely well craftedâand locally harvested,â Quinn says. âWe also used a custom pine veneer on the Topakustik ceilings, a sound-absorbing wood out of Switzerland.â The latter helps create a quiet environment in a home with a lot of hard surfacesâand it actually works. âItâs not a gimmick. Weâve used it in a number of projects, and itâs extremely effective,â Quinn notes. âThese are people who like to have dinner parties routinely, so itâs important to be cognizant of how the house is going to perform.â
One of the homeâs most unforgettable touches is the front doorâthe definition of making an entrance. Custom fabricated at a local workshop, Stark Mountain Woodworking, it was made from one of the propertyâs felled spalted-maple trees. Call it a warm welcomeâŚin any country.
Project Team
Architecture and interior design: Elizabeth Herrmann Architecture + Design
Builder: Red House
Landscape design: Rocky Dale Gardens
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