Smart home design in the Berkshires

Smart home design in the Berkshires

Smart design transforms the site of rustic rental cabins in the Berkshires into a sleek getaway that stays true to the local aesthetic.

Photograph by Keller + Keller The design of Meryl and Ed Mandelbaum’s home is based on a barn, albeit a refined one, topped by a standing-seam metal roof and sheathed in fieldstone, cement board, and cedar shingles. The recessed second-story porch over the front entry helps keep the scale of the house intimate.

Photograph by Keller + Keller The property, situated on 200 feet of lakefront, was once a campground and included three cottages the original owners had rented out for generations, as well as several outbuildings.

Photograph by Keller + Keller “As you get closer, you see that the mix of materials is quite modern,” says owner Meryl Mandelbaum. The headboard wall divides the master suite; the steel canopy bed is on one side of the wall and a Danish modern credenza in rosewood and an antique Venetian mirror are on the other.

Photograph by Keller + Keller Henry the dachshund shows off a treat on a landing of the antique oak staircase.

Photograph by Keller + Keller Loving the look but not the price of industrial steel windows, designer Ritch Holben called for Pella windows customized with extra skinny muntins.

Photograph by Keller + Keller The skeleton of the house is outlined inside in reclaimed wood, and a David Weeks Studio “Torroja Cross” chandelier floats gracefully above the stairwell.

Photograph by Keller + Keller Both designer and clients wanted to respect what was already on site, from the buildings to the landscape to the overall scheme. “We were in a forest,” Holben says, “and we wanted to maintain that feeling of privacy and intimacy of being surrounded by tall trees.”

Photograph by Keller + Keller Meryl Mandelbaum preps for summer at the lakefront property, which was spruced up with a bluestone patio and cedar boardwalk.

Photograph by Keller + Keller Living room assets include a Danish modern coffee table by Henning Norgaard and a Madeline Weinrib “Tulu” rug.

Photograph by Keller + Keller The 2,900-square-foot house is a masterful blend of rustic and refined.

Original article and pictures take www.bostonglobe.com site