Planeta Design Crafts a Contemporary Estate in Western Massachusetts

Exterior materials, including the board-formed concrete that wraps the chimney and roof projection, were chosen for their endurance and sustainability.

The interiors marry elevated design, as in the foyer’s Charles Haupt glass-topped table and Alain Ellouz alabaster light fixture, with elements that nod to nature, such as the table’s branch-like bronze legs and a pair of bronze leaf vases.

Granite pavers set into stone dust and populated with monolithic granite benches turn the home’s forecourt into a casual gathering space. A water feature consisting of a runnel with uplighting for an ethereal glow leads visitors past a grove of honey locusts to the front door. Energy-friendly Brombal windows from Italy allow views through the house to the mountains beyond.

Low furniture with a contemporary profile, including a coffee table of bronze and cast marble and a pair of sculptural Mathieu Lehanneur sofas, sits on a Stark carpet atop the living room’s floor of local granite tiles.

A Bösendorfer Model 225 Imperial Grand piano takes the stage at one end of the living room under a micro-perforated wood ceiling that enhances the instrument’s sound.

Bog-oak cabinetry, custom-designed pulls, a back-lit tobacco-barn ceiling, and leathered stone countertops give the spacious kitchen personality plus.

The tobacco-barn ceiling extends from the kitchen to a screened gathering area.

A carefully curated collection of furniture includes a dramatic chair of black walnut by British design team Ian Spencer and Cairn Young.

A vivid abstract piece by Suzanne McClelland brightens a corner of a serene sitting area, where a Stefan Bishop wood coffee table resembles a tumbling pile of river

A powder room makes a dramatic statement with its bright-green carved-stone sink and evocative artwork.

The wife’s light-filled art studio, minimal, efficient, and playful, looks out onto the meadow.

The headboard wall, stone on the outside and leather on the inside, cocoons the bed in quiet comfort.

A sitting area in the primary suite is all curves and swoops, including the Poliform sofa that sits against the curved stone wall that hides the bed.

The freestanding tub in the primary bath is carved from a single piece of stone.

The infinity-edge pool has an integrated spa. BELOW:

An outdoor entertaining space offers seating aplenty for frequent gatherings of friends and family.

The lawn is delineated by a border of reclaimed granite and surrounded by a natural meadow that draws the eye to the mountains.

A Custom-Built Modern Estate Rooted in Art and Family

When Patrick Planeta first set foot on the 147-acre site in the hills of Western Massachusetts, some foundations had already been poured. “But the clients had a different vision,” he says. “Woodmeister Master Builders brought us in and said, ‘We have this amazing project, but it needs a new direction.’ ”

That fresh start gave Planeta Design Group—led by Planeta and design director Cory Gans—a rare opportunity to shape every detail of a multi-structure estate, from the swoop of the rooflines to the placement of the cabinet pulls, into a deeply personal statement.

That statement? A home that’s expansive yet intimate, sophisticated yet playful, rooted in its setting, and perfectly attuned to its owners’ passions: art, architecture, nature, music, and, most of all, family.

The home orbits around the family’s prized vintage Bösendorfer Model 225 Imperial Grand piano, which sits on a performance stage in a music room with glass walls that vanish into the landscape. When the walls glide open, the house transforms and music spills across a lawn that can hold up to 200 people. “It’s pretty spectacular,”
says Planeta.

Timeless Architecture Meets High-Performance Systems

The 18,000-square-foot main house includes seven bedroom suites, a recording studio, and a gallery-like living space curated with help from Planeta Design Group’s own art advisory. There’s also a pool cabana, a two-story art studio, and a garden folly. And it’s all meant to stand the test of time. “The clients were clear from the start—they wanted this to be their family’s home forever,” says Ed Paquette of Woodmeister Master Builders. “That meant high-performance systems, timeless materials, and every detail built to endure.”

Treated cedar siding and clay roof tiles from Denmark will weather gracefully; geothermal wells, radiant floors, and a solar array ensure comfort and sustainability. Inside, the finishes are a refined study in contrast: shikkui plaster walls that cool and purify the air, blackened stainless steel trim, and micro-perforated wood ceilings that soften acoustics. Even the kitchen feels sculptural, with backlit tobacco barn ceilings, leathered stone counters,
and custom-designed bog-oak cabinetry.

The couple’s contemporary art collection infuses the home with energy and wit. A large textile piece depicting Daffy Duck makes a playful counterpoint to the living room’s sophisticated vibe. In the powder room, a sultry close-up by Marilyn Minter—lipstick, gloss, and glimmer—offers an artful jolt. “They wanted to buy pieces they really loved,” says Planeta. “They’re very authentic; when they see something and light up, it was pleasing to watch their faces.”

Modern Landscape Design That Blends with Nature

Despite the estate’s scale, it never feels imposing. “They wanted it to feel relaxed and intimate,” Gans says. “This is not a place for high heels.”
That ease extends outdoors, where Dale Schafer of Wagner Hodgson Landscape Architecture shaped a sequence of landscape “rooms,” including a lawn sized for concerts and parties, quiet garden spaces, and seasonal blooms threading through reclaimed granite walls. “We extended the geometry of the house into the landscape,” Schafer explains. “The views, the paths, the gathering spaces all align with the architecture.”

From the performance lawn to intimate fern gardens, from granite-edged meadows to cutting gardens in full bloom, the land unfolds in a quiet rhythm.

The architecture follows suit. The rooflines echo the nearby peaks; the materials palette draws from the surrounding woods and fields. “The clients were a dream,” Planeta says. “They came to us with intense room-by-room programming, but also with a spirit of joy.”

As Gans puts it, “They even thought ahead to their teenage daughter’s wedding and asked, ‘Can we fit a tent for 200 here?’ That’s how much this place is about family—and about the future.”

And with the Bösendorfer waiting center stage, the next generation will always have a place to play.

Project Team
Architectural and interior design: Planeta Design Group
Builder/architect of record: Woodmeister Master Builders
Landscape design: Wagner Hodgson Landscape Architecture

Styled by Mieke ten Have