Residence L

New Construction

New Canann, CT – Completed 2014

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The house plan of Residence-L was influenced by the character of the property, which opens in a fan-like fashion towards the rear yard. The land descends from front to rear, revealing a wide lawn with tall trees along the perimeter.

Elena Kalman designed the house as three distinct wedges, corresponding to its functional components. On the first floor, the middle portion of the plan consists of the foyer, open stairway and dining room; the two story living room on the left of the dining room, forms the left portion of the plan (on the north-western side with afternoon light) and the kitchen/family room wing to the right of the dining room forms the right hand side of the plan (on the south-eastern side with morning light). Upstairs, all of the bedrooms have views of the lush gardens.

The house utilizes many energy-saving features, including geothermal heat.

Residence R-2

The front façade, approached by a long, winding road nestled in the surrounding woods, reveals a playful take on a traditional country cottage. The hand-modeled ceramic plaque (made by the house owner) located over the entryway contains a depiction of four fish and represent the clients four granddaughters.

Residence R

Residence R is situated on a street in Newton, MA, a neighborhood in Boston where most of the homes are classic Tudors. When the clients asked Elena to design a new residence for them, Elena was faced with the challenge of creating contextual architecture without falsifying the age of the new structure.

Residence M

Residence M is situated on peninsula extending into Long Island Sound and all of its rooms face the magnificent ocean views on three sides of the property.

Residence B

Residence B is fully integrated into its natural landscape. Sloping roofs create a variety of angles and incorporate dormers that reduce the height of the building. The use of wood shingles and natural stone further connects the house to nature.

Residence K

Elena Kalman turned the interior courtyard/garden into a family room and incorporated its stone garden walls and randomly shaped stone pavers into its foyer design. She also carefully redesigned the existing portions of the house to preserve the best features of the original architecture, including: its large glass sliding panels, its roof overhangs facing south and its abundant, built-in shelving.