In the mid-1970s, the clients’ father purchased a forested, five-acre family camp on the shores of Sebago Lake that included a seasonal log cabin built by the original owner. As the family grew and the camp became the go-to spot for summer gatherings and getaways, a larger prefabricated Acorn House was added. When the three siblings inherited the camp—now with children of their own—they recognized that the property’s aging structures needed renovation to support year-round, multigenerational use. At the top of their minds was where to locate the center of activity on a large property with two buildings.

Kaplan Thompson Architects reimagined the existing attached garage of the Acorn House as a generous, double-height kitchen and dining area at the heart of the compound. A glassy mudroom entry connects the kitchen to a new two-story addition providing an overflow sleeping loft above much-needed garage storage. A rooftop solar array on the addition enables the combined compound to achieve net-zero energy. The new hub extends outdoors to a covered porch and playground of stepped granite offcuts. An ornamental tree originally planted by the siblings’ parents couldn’t be saved during construction, but the same species of red maple will be replanted in their memory.

Inside the Acorn House, the iconic midcentury character is maintained but modernized in both look and livability. The interior is carefully reconfigured around the original exposed wood structure of the building to add a new ground-floor bedroom suite and extra bathrooms, while the exterior is wrapped in an overcoat of wood fiber insulation and buttoned up with all new oversized, triple-glazed windows and doors that upgrade the home’s energy performance to Passive House standards. The original summer cabin is also being lovingly restored, so the entire family can comfortably enjoy year-round lakeside leisure for decades to come.

Architect & Interior Designer: Kaplan Thompson Architects
Builder: R.P. Morrison Builders
Landscape Architect: David Maynes Studio
Construction Start: May 2025
Construction Complete: May 2026