Vermont

Board + Batten

A modern guest house that combines regional building traditions with precision construction methods.

A modern guest house that combines regional building traditions with precision construction methods.

Sited within the forest’s edge with limited access required tight coordination for materials delivery and staging, while careful site preparation ensured clean integration of the structure into the sloping terrain.

Sited within the forest’s edge with limited access required tight coordination for materials delivery and staging, while careful site preparation ensured clean integration of the structure into the sloping terrain.

A guest house complete with painted wood siding, mirror-polished stainless steel panels, and strategic glazing placements on the exterior and custom-milled cabinetry, hand-finished western red cedar details, and durable, mid-century furnishings on the interior.

Set against the backdrop of Vermont’s Green Mountains, Board + Batten was constructed to balance privacy and openness.

The guest house was built to be low in the landscape, with its T-shaped plan maximizing natural light and views across a private clearing. The project name refers to the board-and-batten cladding typical of the region, but the build team updated the system with a modern execution—alternating painted boards, mirror-finished steel panels, and glass inserts to create a layered, dynamic exterior. The standing seam metal roof, shaped with precise hipped geometry, integrates with tight cedar soffit detailing for a crisp, clean roofline.

Inside, the construction focused on delivering a simple but refined material palette: finished concrete slab floors, smooth painted walls, and western red cedar accents throughout. Built-in custom beds and cabinetry were fabricated to match the mid-century style furnishings. The result is a guest retreat built for longevity and seasonal transformation, rooted firmly in both its landscape and local building tradition.

Architect

Birdseye

Builder

Birdseye

Woodwork

Birdseye

Sitework

Birdseye

Interior

Brooke Michelsen Design

Photography

Jim Westphalen Photography

Erica Allen Studio

Completed

2017

3104 Huntington Road


Richmond, Vermont 05477

©2025

Birdseye

3104 Huntington Road


Richmond, Vermont 05477

©2025

Birdseye

3104 Huntington Road


Richmond, Vermont 05477

©2025

Birdseye