Caspian Lake sits at the bottom of this long sloping site in Greensboro—a small tight knit Vermont community our clients have been returning to for years. When they found this piece of land, the goal was clear: a home they could use year-round, shared with friends and family, rooted in the particular quiet of this place. A boathouse, already tucked into the trees at the water’s edge, marks where the property ends. A walking path meanders through a meadowed rear yard down to the shore.
Lakeshore permitting and setback requirements defined the buildable area before design began. Working within those constraints, the house was sited at the highest point of the property—a position that offered limited views to the lake, aiming to limit the exposure from the water as is the requirement of current state laws and local zoning. The garage and accessory dwelling unit sit between the house and the road, providing a layer of privacy without closing the site off.
The design intent was a classic shingle style—carefully detailed, traditionally laid out with “rooms”, yet filled with natural lite—intentionally feeling campy in the best sense of the word. Pine ceiling, beams, and walls with heart pine floors give the interior its register: relaxed, warm, specific to this part of Vermont. Glulam Douglas fir timbers carry the structure without overplaying it. Cedar shingles, nickel-gap siding on the exterior and traditional curved rooflines connecting the building to the ground read as quietly traditional against the landscape.
Open decks and a sleeping porch expand the usable square footing, addressing strict zoning laws to connect the house to its surroundings through the warmer months. In winter, the lake views shift and become more prominent, putting snow, trees free of their foliage, and a different kind of stillness on display. The home is suited for that, too.
Architecture & Interior Architecture Volansky Studio
Interior Design Polly Morozov Design Studio in collaboration with Volansky Studio
Landscape Design Lucy Thayer, Bowman
Builder DBI, Inc.
Structural Engineer Artisan Engineering
