HISTORIC SALTBOX

DARIEN \ CONNECTICUT

front of historic red saltbox house.

HISTORICAL SALTBOX

DARIEN \ CONNECTICUT

  • Originally a sea captains house, this saltbox (a traditional New England style of house c1742) was moved from Durham CT in 1929 for Professor and Mrs. Robert Hale. Understanding that this was a house of historical and architectural significance, the current owners embarked on a restoration project in a sensitive fashion. All additions were planned to be very respectful to the existing structure, setback from the main box with subordinate wings and matching existing roof lines. The landscape architects were tasked with re-imagining the landscape while respecting the history of the property. This included the rebuilding of original stone walls, the installment of a meadow, and the restoration of existing terracing. Times and needs change, and the landscape masterplan also required new driveways and courtyards, a swimming pool and outdoor entertaining areas.

    RECOGNITION

    CTC&G Design Guide \ 2024

    New Old House \ November 2024

    CTC&G \ May 2023

    COLLABORATORS

    Schettino Architects

    Stirling Mills Design

    Lee Schettino Construction

    Hoffman Landscapes

    PHOTOGRAPHY

    Allegra Anderson

HISTORICAL SALTBOX

DARIEN \ CONNECTICUT

Originally a sea captains house, this saltbox (a traditional New England style of house c1742) was moved from Durham CT in 1929 for Professor and Mrs. Robert Hale. Understanding that this was a house of historical and architectural significance, the current owners embarked on a restoration project in a sensitive fashion. All additions were planned to be very respectful to the existing structure, setback from the main box with subordinate wings and matching existing roof lines. The landscape architects were tasked with re-imagining the landscape while respecting the history of the property. This included the rebuilding of original stone walls, the installment of a meadow, and the restoration of existing terracing. Times and needs change, and the landscape masterplan also required new driveways and courtyards, a swimming pool and outdoor entertaining areas.

 
 
view of the side of the red saltbox house with sager stone steps flanked by no-mow fescue meadow and Linden trees.
 
simple site-plan of pool garden.
view of the pool garden with bespoke fire feature and meadow in foreground.
 
 
close-up of sager stone stairs and no-mow fescue meadow with Linden trees.
 
view of the barn and meadow grasses in foreground with ribbon pathway and red salt box house in background.
 
detail of sager stone stairs.
close-up of Shasta Daisys.
close-up of fescue grass in meadow.
detail of sager stone retaining walls.
 
 
view of vegetable and cutting garden surrounded by hornbeam hedges and red salt box house in background.
 
 
 
bespoke wooden fence enclosing woodlands and meadows.
 
 
detail of bespoke sager stone bench and sager stone fire feature.
 
symmetrical view of the pool garden with bespoke sager stone bench and fire feature in foreground and red salt box house in background.
 
close-up of a tree swing in the meadow with red salt box house in background.
 
 
view from the woodlands and meadows of the barn and red salt box house in background.