Capisic Pond Bungalow

This bungalow near Capisic Pond began life in 1917 as a Sears and Roebuck kit house. More than a century later, it needed additional space, major efficiency improvements, and, as the team put it, a little more personality.

Architect Elizabeth Newman rethought the way visitors approach and enter the house while creating larger, more generous interior spaces. New reading and sitting nooks take advantage of views toward the surrounding landscape and pond.

One of the smallest details tells the story particularly well: the staircase newel posts were made from elm logs that had been lying on the property. Turning them into finished architectural elements required some challenging scribe work, but they became a quiet reminder that the house itself is, at its core, made from trees.

The five-month renovation also significantly improved the building’s thermal performance and moved the home away from fossil fuels.