This design by COVE by Knickerbocker Group is for a recently retired couple with two adult children and pets. The design, called Keyway, offers flexibility in the use of the house, allowing for home offices as well as room for family members to come and stay, and it also makes it possible for someone to quarantine if need be.

The home has a first-floor owners’ suite with three guest bedrooms on the upper level, as well as a screened porch, fireplaces, and an outdoor shower. There’s also a two-story entry and an abundance of natural light through the many windows and doors. It’s a coastal home, on a property with woods and an open field bordered by a stone wall, so the exterior details and landscape plantings have been designed to match the rustic character of the surroundings. Like all COVE homes, it has an efficient layout with practical consideration given to the flexibility of the spaces and importance to natural light and views.

Eco-friendly elements include the use of Maine slate and stone, Maine-made hardwood flooring, and thoughtful details such as the installation of a soap dispenser in the kitchen to reduce the number of plastic bottles going to a landfill.

Despite the hectic construction market, the homeowners were able to begin building within two months of meeting the COVE Homes team and will be able to move in by fall 2021.