White, Bright and Oh-So-Modern

I have an unhealthy affection for old, white farmhouses. Yet on the other end of the spectrum, I go weak in the knees for bright, modern architectural buildings. The two aesthetics couldn't be more different, yet I find myself going back and forth to the far ends of each spectrum --- hoping to find a happy medium.

Instead, it looks like the happy medium found me. Architectural firm Bates Masi's recent project, Roaman, is indeed the best of both worlds. When a young couple with a growing family initially approached architect Paul Masi, they hoped to redevelop their New York property on a street of small cottages on narrow, half-acre plots.

No space? No problem. Paul explains that when you're working with limited space, it's important to articulate zones in the home and tailor these zones each to its intended purpose. In this case, the main house and detached woodshop were formed to define intentional areas for activities such as guest reception, fireside entertaining, dining, swimming and lawn sports.











With the home's cantilevered second and third story housing bedrooms and common areas, the first floor is devoted to a bright living, dining and kitchen area. Light fills each space with predetermined accuracy. "As the sun moves across the sky throughout the day, so too will the house's surfaces and spaces beyond change dramatically over time," says Paul.

Of course, for the homeowners, light is key. A photographer and naturalist duo, the pair couldn't be more thrilled with their bright, open -- and incredibly modern -- space. And for the excited residents of this lovely Bates Masi design, all roads lead to the Roaman.

Want to see how the Roaman measures up to other unique homes? Read more:
-The Perforated House
-Brazilian Beachside Box House
-A House That's a Bridge