SV Design seamlessly blends inside and out in this New England home.

SV Design and Archwright Home Builders built Waters Edge for a family of four.

At the end of a tree-lined cul-de-sac on a lake outside Boston, Massachusetts, lies one of architecture and interior design firm SV Design’s newest builds: Waters Edge. Unassuming and modest from the front, this three-level home opens up to a warm, contemporary design with a deep connection to the surrounding landscape.

The house is more than it seems at first glance, leaving guests awe-struck when they first enter. “It’s beautiful from the front, but when you walk in, it opens up, and you don’t realize what an incredible view you’re about to see,” SV Design senior project manager and interior designer Kristin Landreth says.

The kitchen overlooks the home’s lush backyard and lake.

Landreth and SV Design principal architect Tobin Shulman, have worked with this client on several homes, so they jumped at the opportunity to collaborate again on Waters Edge. “The homeowners are both architecturally inclined and have really great taste, so they're extremely knowledgeable and thoughtful about every decision,” Shulman says. “They were also super trusting—really, a dream client.”

Characterized by functionality and interconnectedness, Waters Edge is the product of SV Design’s architectural savvy and interior design sensibilities, and the client’s vision. Here’s how this project came to life.

The Inspiration

Taking cues from classic New England boathouses, the architecture of the home engages the landscape to create a sense of connection to nature and maximize views. The three levels in the back of the house respond to the land’s topography and provide distinct areas while also emanating a feeling of togetherness.

The back of the home features three levels that respond to the land’s topography.

Inside, design selections were heavily influenced by the client’s affinity for natural elements and features inspired by the wife’s stint living in Japan, such as the blackened Shou Sugi Ban barn doors in the living room. “We didn't use a lot of color in the house,” Landreth notes, “but we used different tones and textures layered together to bring the outdoors in while still keeping it contemporary and cool.”

Blackened Shou Sugi Ban barn doors separate the living room from a more intimate family room.

The Materials

One of the most crucial aspects of this project was choosing materials for the interior. The client wanted to utilize materials that were durable enough to withstand two growing boys and a big dog, but looked luxurious, evoked that natural style she loves and felt cohesive with the exterior of the home. “We didn’t want the inside of the house to feel completely different from the outside,” Landreth says. “So we incorporated traditional boat house materials and included elements that nod to the exterior, such as the V-groove paneling that we brought throughout the mud room and the boys' rooms.”

V-groove paneling in the boys’ rooms brings the exterior’s boathouse style inside.

Landreth and Shulman note that the client is very tactile, so getting physical samples in front of them was key. “It was really important for the homeowners to feel and hold everything,” Landreth says. “The sense of touch of building materials when you're in a home and experiencing it is crucial—it's something that doesn't always come across in photographs. When you can touch the kitchen counter, feel the weight of the cabinet knobs and the smoothness or the texture, it makes the rooms feel even better than they look.”

The Functionality

During weekly site visits, the SV Design team spent a lot of time talking with the client about how they were going to live and move in the space, so every inch of the home was meticulously tailored to their lifestyle. Every detail was examined, from where the homeowners would set groceries down while loading the fridge to where they’d want to sit on a warm summer evening versus a cold winter night.

“The house is almost like a really great waiter at a nice restaurant,” Shulman says. “You never have to wonder where they are. When you need something, all of a sudden they’re there. The house feels like that—everything is easy and nearby.”

The main living area features a kitchen with two islands and an open dining concept.

The client also needed versatile spaces that could be used in a variety of situations and life moments. “The family knew the children would do their homework in the kitchen, so we included two islands—one where someone can be cooking and one where the boys can sit,” Landreth says.

The lower level features an adaptable design.

Next to the kitchen, there’s an open dining area—reflecting the family’s preference for non-formal spaces—a light-flooded living room and an intimate family TV room separated by barn doors. The lower level features a gym and a kids’ bunk room, offering another place where the boys can play and the parents can exercise without getting in each other's way. With an adaptable design throughout the lower level, its use can grow with the family’s needs.

The Flow

Every inch of Waters Edge is connected to one another, from the lake out back to the rooms inside, so it flows both functionally and visually. “We wanted all the rooms and outdoor spaces to talk to each other, but still have their own personality,” Landreth says. “When you're walking in the front door, you have this great view of the entry, into the dining and straight onto their deck and the beautiful lake they live on.”

The sunroom is the epitome of indoor-outdoor living.

One of Shulman’s favorite features, the sunken sunroom, is a perfect example of this flow between the interior and exterior. “I like the scale of the space, the glass walls on three sides, the views to the lake and the way it rolls out to the pool deck,” he says. “It’s connected to the main living area but not 100% open to it, so it feels like a true transitional room. To me, it’s such a success in terms of what it does for the home.”

The Details

While subtlety and functionality reign throughout the home, SV Design still managed to incorporate a few statement pieces. Case in point: A custom 32-foot glass and ceramic chandelier hangs in the main entry staircase from the second floor all the way down to the lower level, visually connecting every level.

A 32-foot glass and ceramic chandelier hangs in the main entry staircase from the second floor to the lower level.

“There's no part of the house that's walled off—it’s all used and open—and the light fixture accentuates that, tying all three levels together,” says Shulman. “It showcases that, even down to the last detail, everything is working to emphasize the same concept.”

Learn more about SV Design.

Photographer: Michael J. Lee Photography
Builder: Archwright Fine Home Builders
Landscape Architecture: Hawk Design, Inc.
Landscape: R.P. Marzilli