Dream House

“I take great pride in showcasing original artworks in the guesthouse,” says Diana. “Most of the artists I represent either live in or have strong ties to Maine.” The primary bedroom features shibori linen pillows Diana hand-dyed and an oil painting by Peter Bodnar III hanging above the bed.

Solar panels line the roof to soak up the Australian sun. The home doesn’t use any gas—the cooktop is induction, and heating and hot water come from a heat pump.

Upstairs, the primary bathroom presents a sanctuary adorned with Crema Marfil marble, a Restoration Hardware vanity, and brass hardware."

Original details can be found throughout, including the stone-clad walls and exposed beams awaiting on the lower level.

"The effect of the plantings on the terrace is enormous,” reflects the couple. “Not only do the branches and formations give a sense of the four seasons, but the way it looks from the living room contributes to a sense of calmness. It gives the illusion that we are viewing art."

The Kitayama cedar rafter ceiling reflects a naturalist approach to modern Japanese architecture—as do the home’s Takenoko dining chairs, designed by Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP.

The gallery includes a built-in bookcase painted in Farrow & Ball’s Hay, which complements the white oak flooring. A sculptural light, chosen in white to match the ceiling and walls, adds visual interests.

In the family room, which connects the addition with the original house, Janusz opted for a vaulted ceiling. "To transition from the single-story space, we used a change in volume relative to the new flat ceilings.

After: The soaring new living and dining space benefits from an abundance of natural light from every side, and they spent a lot of time trying to find the best lighting for the kitchen. The final choice: long, narrow copper pendants from Denmark suspended by ultra thin wires to not disrupt the visual flow of the room.

The bookcase in the great room holds about 3,500 books. Several hundred more can be found in the living room, and on the floor-to-ceiling shelves in Zeke and Teasel's offices.

After: The living room overlooks the great room below. Now when you walk in the house, you can see clear out to the trees in the back—an idea sparked by an interior designer friend who commented that the most important aspect of a design is what you see when you walk in the front door.

The window in the kitchen that overlooks the garden is intentionally free of any structure, with the small ventilation openings discretely located to the side. This ensures the view is uninterrupted and the woodlands become part of the interior.

Access into the garden is through the side of the kitchen and not the rear. This means the rear is protected for wildlife and the family do not have to go through the garden to access the BBQ and hard landscaping.

A row of skylights stretches across the main living area, ushering ample sunshine inside.

“Niche spaces, such as the sofa bench on the staircase landing, allow for a calm feeling of being holed up in a cave, even within the large air volume space,” Hatori explains.

When addressing the constant gradient diagonal line restriction, Nakamura and team used the constraint to strengthen the design. “The diagonal line restriction can be a negative factor, but we intentionally incorporated the limitation into the [roofline] of the traditional Japanese wooden architecture, elevating [it] to the atrium of the staircase,” says Nakamura.

A cozy study with custom banquette and Japanese elm table is located on the north side of the living room.