Woodland Cottage & Studio

We were thrilled to participate as the Landscape Architects on the 32nd season of This Old House. Set atop a hillside within the quintessential New England landscape of Essex, Massachusetts we worked with the architect, interior designer, and the This Old house landscape construction team to revitalize an historic cottage and studio, which were in need of renovation due to dilapidated conditions.

Seeking to make as minimal of an impact as possible on the existing terrain, we opened up the existing woodland; dramatically enhancing distant views to rolling meadows and nearby ocean backdrops. The palette of New England hardscape and softscape materials throughout the property celebrates the history and context of the native rich landscape, including New England fieldstone (for the site walls), granite and bluestone (for the walkways and terraces), and large flat stones for several informal stairs that are naturally “set” within the landscape. It was an incredibly fulfilling experience to work with such invested homeowners during the realization of their home and property.