This couple turned a cottage into an ultra-modern home for their family.
After living in a very traditional farmhouse for seven years, John and Nell Musser decided to
switch gears to ultra-modern living.
In 2015, the couple bought and remodeled an abandoned 100-year-old home on two-and-a-half acres in south Fayetteville, and a year later, they built a matching 800-square-foot, traditional- style cottage on the property for Nell's parents.
Two years ago, the couple realized they needed more room for their growing children, but since Nell's father passed away in 2019, their desire to remain on the same property they had shared became evident.
John and Nell decided to divide the property, selling the farmhouse and opting to turn the small cottage into a modern dream home with a 2,000-square-foot addition and a full renovation.
The family also gave Nell's mother, Claudia, full creative control to work with the architect for her 580-square-foot tiny home that was built at the same time.
"Our tastes had changed to be modern, and so, we hired the same architect that had done Nell's parent's house, and he came up with a vision," John said.
That architect was Matt Poe with STOKE architecture. When he designed the original cottage, Poe "was also able to sneak in some modern elements, like the large windows and an expansive porch," which made designing the addition easier. Though, he stressed the addition and remodel was still a full design process.
"Not affecting the beauty of the property and creating privacy between structures were two design challenges that garnered a lot of design time," Poe said.
"We preserved the site by tucking the structures to the back of the property, putting all the focus on the mature trees in the front yard. Tucking the tiny house porch on the south side and providing clerestory windows allowed the structures to both keep their individual privacy."
Preserving the natural habitat of the land by not clearing trees or the fence line, as is usually done, was key for the Mussers. "Bird habitat and the feeding of birds was important to us and even more important to Nell's father, so not interrupting any trees to pull this off
was another design challenge," John said. "The land still feels like he is here with us, and that was the goal."
The couple wanted a minimalist approach in the home so that the house would wear well for their family and their children, ages 6 and 8. "We also wanted the house to speak the same way when it was empty as it did when it was full, where the lines of the house and all the natural light was the décor of the house," John said.
For construction of the house, the Mussers turned to Amanda Edgmon, owner of Stone Harbor Custom Homes. The project immediately intrigued Edgmon. "It isn't every day that a house plan passes my desk quite like this one," she said.
"The Musser home is a true reflection of themselves: The exterior is creative and bold, but the interior has immense heart. Intentionally keeping the family's farmhouse cottage and incorporating it into the new design are choices that few make. It was fulfilling to create a space where their thoughtful intention would feel at home for years to come."
Edgmon worked hard to overcome challenges with the environmental landscape of the property while keeping the feel of Poe's architectural drawings.
"The house is a strange design compared to what most builders traditionally create, and she adapted and overcame and never pushed the schedule or budget because of it," John said. "The architect cast the vision, gave great drawings and turned it over to her. It was tough to execute, but she did a great job with it."
The original cottage space became a home office, a guest bath and the couple's primary suite. Poe also partially enclosed the original cottage's front porch with the continuous brick veneer, so the couple has a private patio off the primary bedroom.
The kids' bedrooms, a laundry room, and an open-concept kitchen, dining and living area make up the new addition to the home. The house also features indoor and outdoor fireplaces on the same masonry wall that connects the home's new front porch to the living room.
As CEO of a local technology solutions company, John made sure the house was fully automated, including the security and camera systems, irrigation system, energy monitoring system, lighting control, audio system, and shades.
"Coming from a historic farmhouse, it was important to us to be as technology-forward as possible," John said. "It was important to have great Wi-Fi coverage throughout the entire house, and the audio system was big for us.
Music plays a big part in our life, and so, the ability to go throughout the house and have continuous tunes playing was important."
John also included remote temperature sensors and white noise distributed into the bedrooms for sleeping comfort.
Large windows-for natural light and to make the house feel open- were key, and during the day, very little additional light is needed. Throughout the house, well-placed lighting showcases the couple's art. "In the evening, we can just have singular lights throughout the house that highlight specific art locations and give it a gallery feel," John said.
One challenge with a modern-style house was making sure it didn't feel cold or industrial when you walk inside. "Good lighting, good dimming control and plenty of rich millwork make the inside feel warmer than the outside presents," John said.
"Our architect made a comment that the house is spacious but not ostentatious, and that was our goal," John said. "We were very purposeful for the parts we were going to live in and not have excess square footage. We use all of it. You know you got the house right when vacation is ending and the normal gloom of getting back to regular life is lessened by the fact that you get to come back to this house."
Original Article written by Nancy Peevy
Photos by Daniel Moody
Read more at CitiScapes.com
Home Pros:
Appliances: Metro Appliances & More
Architect: STOKE architecture, Matt Poe, AIA Bricks: Ryder Brick, Inc.; Installer: Paez Masonry Builder: Stone Harbor Custom Homes
Cabinets: Justus Cabinets
Concrete: J.W. Fritts Concrete Contractor LLC
Doors/Windows: Harry G Barr Co.
Electronics/Window Coverings: Custom Electronics, Inc.
Fixtures: Lighting Emporium
Flooring: Encore Building Products; Installer: Henry Molina Framer: Bilt Rite Framing
Garage Doors: A-Z Overhead Doors
Granite/Marble/Tile: Jimenez Granite, Marble and Quartz Interior Trim: Anderson Lumber; Quality Millwork Landscape Design: Red Fern Farm and Landscaping Landscaping: Caldera Irrigation & Landscape
Mirrors/Shower Doors: Abram's Glass Inc.
Painting: Quality Pro Painting
Plumbing: J&B Supply Inc.
Roofing: Foster Roofing
Trim Carpenter: Newton Brown
Comments