Paradise Found in North Chatham

With common materials incorporated in both the house and landscaping, the overall look of this new Shingle-style home and the surrounding acreage is cohesive and filled with rich texture.

The front of this home, well hidden from the road by old-growth trees, pairs traditional Shingle-style elements with hints of modern farmhouse. A cobblestone berm surrounds a curved driveway of pebbles in a color that picks up on the home’s cedar-shingle siding and roof as well as copper accents. Countless plantings in a fairly minimal variety are traditional “Cape choices,” including white hydrangeas, evergreen trees, dwarf boxwood, Montauk daisies and several types of ornamental grass. A low stone wall along part of the perimeter acts as both a retaining wall and a planter.

The back of the home is “paradise found.”

An oversized terrace is the centerpiece of the sprawling backyard. At the far side of it is absolutely nothing, a very intentional design decision to ensure a virtually unobstructed view of Pleasant Bay and the Atlantic Ocean beyond it.

Because of the property’s steep grade leading down to the adjacent tidal saltmarsh, and the owners’ wish for the terrace to be level with the home, a series of cascading tiered walls leads from the house down to the remainder of the backyard. Each level of the tier acts as planter, filled with dwarf boxwood accented with ornamental grass.

The lower level of the backyard is reached via a wide stone stairway with each step an individual slab of granite. The banister is comprised of the same cedar as the pergola and fencing, creating a sense of continuity throughout the space.

Mature plantings throughout the landscape lend a sense that this new home has always been there. Unexpected details such as horizontal fencing and walkways made with oversized natural stone pavers play with scale and add a modern touch.