Photos by Landmark
The plans for this custom home in Orono began on a unique, beautiful marsh lot where the owners saw an opportunity to build an amazing house that embraced the land. So, to create the home of their dreams, they recruited James McNeal Architecture & Design (JMAD). “I had already designed something for that lot, so I was very familiar with it,” says James McNeal, principal architect. “They liked the direction I was going with that design [because] it fit the look they were going for.” With the massing of a traditional English Tudor combined with more modern, simplified elements, the classic JMAD style has since been dubbed “Modern European.”
One of the client’s non-negotiable asks was an airy feel and open floor plan that embraced the surrounding marsh setting. Exterior rooms were added on each side of the house to harmoniously blend interior space with the outdoors. On the right side is the pool area with an additional adjacent pool house. The front of the home is also open to the exterior with the incorporation of large glass windows lining the facade. The private terrace on the left side adds to the openness of the space as well. With the varying placements of each exterior room, the homeowners can enjoy each area at different times of day.
“I think my favorite space would be the kitchen because it was the biggest challenge to accommodate her means of cooking,” McNeal adds. As a baker, the client wanted a kitchen space that was optimal for her craft. Because of the otherwise open floor plan, the architect proposed the idea of a scullery kitchen to limit the baking mess to a more hidden space. The resulting design allows for a unique combination kitchen in which her baking can be more contained and efficient.
After a multiyear-long labor of love, the project has been honored and recognized for its craftsmanship and creativity. “We never knew when we developed this style—we consider it the JMAD style—that it would be so well received,”
says McNeal. The clients’ appreciation and excitement for the project, in combination with the response from the public, was truly the most rewarding part of the project for JMAD, and people across the country now request custom homes and designs that reflect the timeless look of “Modern European.”
877-796-5623 | jmad.design
- 2022 MIDWEST HOME DESIGN AWARDS: FIRST PLACE OVERALL HOME
