The Foote Farm House | McLeod Kredell Architects

The Foote Farm House sits at the edge of a meadow in Vermont’s Champlain Valley. The owners had wanted a modern house but building covenants stipulated that the design be based on Vermont’s historical building styles. To resolve the conflict, McLeod Kredell Architects started with a long boxy form reminiscent of Vermont’s covered bridges and agrarian buildings. The continuous shingle cladding and lack of overhangs emphasise the shape. The central portion of the house is glazed on both sides, giving it the appearance of a drive-through barn.

The Foote Farm House is a suited for a family with several kids. Its 1,500 ft² (139 m²) floor plan has three bedrooms and a loft that could easily be turned into a fourth bedroom. A two-story great room is located in the middle of the house with the bedrooms at the ends. The window walls flood the central space with natural light and provide views over the fields.

The great room has an unusual layout. Typically the kitchen island is used to separate the kitchen from the rest of the space. In the Foote Farm House, the island was instead placed to one side, leaving the farmhouse-style eat-in kitchen wide open to the adjacent sitting area.

If modern farmhouses appeal to you, check out this one designed by FAB Architecture.

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Photographs by Susan Teare, courtesy of McLeod Kredell Architects.

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