Natural Selection

Fallen trees are given new life in this vibrant addition.

Tucked at the end of a tree-lined dirt road, with Vineyard Haven Harbor on one side and a tranquil pond on the other, there's an idyllic hideaway with nearly 180-degree views of water. Yet, for decades, the spectacular setting couldn't be appreciated from the inside of the house. Fearful of the damage northeasters could cause to a waterfront home, the original owner built it nearly devoid of windows.

Calvin and Pat Linnemann, who live in Cincinnati, bought the house in 2002 as a vacation retreat. They realized immediately that the property was far too special to turn its back on the views. But aside from opening up the interior to the exterior by adding lots of windows and doors, the couple weren't sure what they wanted out of a renovation. They Shirley and asked him to dream up a few possibilities. "We wanted to know what Frank would do with the site if it were up to him," says Calvin Linnemann.

Shirley proposed building a master suite - the home's original footprint included just one bedroom and a small sleeping loft - and a great room where family and friends could congregate while taking in the panoramic views. His vision extended beyond structural design; he had a concept that would influence the decor. The addition would have an all-wood interior. "I liked the idea of carrying wood throughout the new space and suggested using an American species," says Shirley. (The idea of using wood in the interior wasn't foreign to the house. Thirty years ago, the original owners installed mahogany on the walls and surfaces of the kitchen.)

The Linnemanns loved the idea of a wood-clad interior, but there was one caveat: They wanted the addition to be green. "I didn't want trees to have to be cut down for it to work," says Calvin.

Shirley dove into research, looking for New England companies that supply environmentally friendly wood. Several area dealers follow the guidelines of the Forest Stewardship Council and provide sustainable lumber, but the architect had his heart set on Douglas fir, which is more common in the Pacific Northwest. Its light-amber color would jibe well with the house's existing mahogany. He came across Green Mountain Woodworks, an Oregon firm that, among other things, sells lumber from "knock-down" trees, or trees that have fallen through an act of nature. The trees are removed due to winds, disease, or hazard status. The Linnemanns approved, but the irony wasn't lost on anyone. While the wood itself is environmentally friendly, it had to be trucked by a common freight carrier from Oregon, a practice that burns an enormous amount of fossil fuel. At the time, among other reasons for his choice, Shirley hadn't had much luck finding a local source of knockdown trees.

The completed addition is an eco-beauty. Salvaged Douglas fir makes up 95 percent of the walls' surface, and mahogany was used for the trim. The great room is large, with a feeling of transparency, aided by a soaring cathedral ceiling and a two-story wall of glass. Doors and windows are almost seamless, trimmed only with narrow wood rails. "We opted to use more glass and less wood, so there is a diminished sense that you are looking through a window or a door," says Shirley. The windows have two panes of glass, separated by trapped air, which acts as an insulator and reduces heat loss.

The master suite, built above the existing bedroom, looks out onto the great room and has a private balcony. Shirley designed interior pocket windows in the bedroom that allow the owners to look through the great room's expansive windows to the water views while maintaining their privacy. "You stand in one spot and have four sites of water; it's amazing," says Calvin, who notes that throughout the home's new spaces, there is a sense of bringing the outdoors in.

He adds: "Although we didn't quite know what we wanted out of the renovation at first, it turned out to be exactly right."

Architecture
FRANK SHIRLEY ARCHITECTS
75 Henry Street, Cambridge, 617-547-3355, frankshirleyarchitects.com

Jaci Conry is a writer and editor in Falmouth. Send comments to designing@globe.com.