Looking to move their family from the big city to a place with small-town values, Bruce and Marge Lynch purchased a property in historic Wendell. "We wanted to live in a place with a sense of community," said Bruce Lynch, "somewhere authentic." Then they watched the house go up in flames.

Of course, that was just how they planned it.

The house had suffered through years of neglect and had been stripped bare by pilferers. Even Habitat for Humanity declined to salvage what remained. "They told us there was just nothing left," Lynch said.

So the couple offered the house to the fire department, which happily burned the structure in a training exercise. The house was removed, the firefighters gained experience, and the Lynches netted a tax credit while avoiding demolition and disposal fees.

Then there was a lag. The foundations of the old house stood gaping on the lot while the couple unsuccessfully interviewed a number of architects. The fit was just never quite right. Then, at a home show, Marge Lynch noticed the display of 2SL Design Build Inc. and called her husband over. "I knew the moment I saw their portfolio," Bruce Lynch said.

The couple met John Sibert, a licensed architect and general contractor with 11 years of professional experience.

"The first time I saw the site, the only thing left was a charred foundation," Sibert said.

From the ashes

As the team began to focus on a design, the Lynches were keen to correct what they saw as the shortfalls of their old house: the kitchen was small; you couldn't see the cook from the dining room; you couldn't entertain, there was no flow; the house had an "inefficient plan."

In addition, they had a wish list of features, including a smaller yard; an "open feel" plan; and a low-maintenance, energy-efficient house.

Sibert proposed a modern interpretation of an Arts and Crafts-style bungalow. The proposal had several contextual advantages. Dating from the 1850s, Wendell is full of modest but well-pedigreed residences. Within its streets one can find a number of Sears & Roebuck kit houses and more than a few bungalows.

Sibert's design is appropriately sized to the street and fits the scale of the neighborhood. The main facade appears very much like those of the neighboring houses. Unlike the surrounding houses, each side of the new house is treated as a facade and enjoys a consistent level of finish and detailing.

But the house extends well beyond the porte-cochere, and the drive leads to a generous two-car garage toward the rear of the lot.

The true size of the residence can only be appreciated upon entering.

The volume of the house, articulated and composed so carefully and successfully on the exterior, contains an open, flowing plan.

"It was intended to be a modern interpretation of a craftsman-style house," reminds Sibert. Accordingly, the main living areas on the first floor connect in a manner conducive to comfort and flow. But an appropriate level of intimacy is afforded to the dining room and the master suite.

The upstairs bedrooms constitute their own separate domain. This is where the children live. They have separate bedrooms adjoining a central living area. Each bedroom connects to a Jack-and-Jill bathroom, providing access to separate toilets closets and a shared tub/shower. In one of the nicest touches upstairs, the daughter's room has been fitted with a window seat.

Craftsman details

While the floor plan and atmosphere of the house are modernized craftsman, many of the details are decidedly period. The front door, purchased from Habitat for Humanity's ReStores (which sells quality used and surplus building materials and uses the proceeds to finance Habitat houses), has a distinctly Arts and Crafts appearance, as do the light fixtures and door hardware throughout the house. Along the walls, niches have been constructed for signature furniture pieces, many of which are still being acquired or commissioned. The television can be neatly concealed behind cabinet doors above the fireplace.

Over the course of the project, the Lynches became very enthusiastic about the Arts and Crafts, themselves suggesting details from books on the subject. Since the house was being constructed as a design-build project, their suggestions could be accommodated. "Design-build allows us to implement design during construction because your architect and builder are one and the same," says Sibert.

Often, the carpenter mocked up trim and casework profiles with samples on-site. The Lynches could see, at full-scale, what the finished product would look like.

The detailing of the pickets and panels at the central staircase stands as the most stunning example of these efforts. But the same quality is exhibited in details such as the bead board at the eaves and the profiles scribed into the open rafter ends.

The attention to detail is not solely aesthetic: The climate-control system features eco-friendly Puron refrigerant; hot water is provided by an energy-efficient on-demand tankless water heater; and the windows, which contribute so much to the craftsman flavor of the house, are modern thermally insulated window units.

The Lynches couldn't be happier. Their house is the first substantial renovation in the area in recent years. They have the house they wanted in the environment they sought for their family. And since they had the foresight to place the master suite on the same floor as the main living area, they have a very comfortable roost that they can enjoy for many years.

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