Project Description
In Rhode Island, along the bend of the Narragansett Bay, an artistic
couple sought a freestanding studio that would allow them to practice
their craft in a space close to, yet separate from, home. If that space
also could accommodate guests, all the better.
Newport,
R.I.–based Estes/Twombly Architects answered the call, designing a
simple structure adjacent to the couple’s turn-of-the-century Victorian
home that blends contemporary and traditional. The studio’s façade—with
its locally milled, white-washed pine siding—offers a riff on the iconic
farmhouse that both juxtaposes and complements the main residence’s
historic aesthetic. Soft, muted interiors emphasize the ceiling’s
dramatic vaults and highlight accents such as a coal-burning stove and
exposed chimney.
The architects divided the outbuilding into two
wings—one for the wife’s painting studio, and one for house guests and
the husband’s music practice and recording. The painting studio is
outfitted with north-facing clerestory windows for cross ventilation and
privacy, while the music room (with an adjacent recording studio)
doubles as a guest living room. A simple staircase leads to an upstairs
sleeping loft for resting or lounging after a long day of artistry. — Leah Demirjian